Use of Psychoactive Substances Before Incarceration Among Prison Inmates With Drug Abuse or Dependence: Data From the...

Area of Science:

• Addiction research
• Criminology
• Public health

Background:

• Assessing the prevalence of psychoactive substance (PAS) abuse and dependence in prison populations is crucial for targeted interventions.
• The OPPIDUM program provides valuable data on substance use patterns among individuals in correctional facilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of psychoactive substance (PAS) dependence and abuse among prison inmates.
• To identify factors associated with increased risk of PAS abuse and dependence within this population.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the national OPPIDUM program (2013-2022), a cross-sectional study of addiction treatment seekers.
• Compared prison inmates reporting simple PAS use versus those with abuse/dependence problems, collecting data on PAS use in the week prior to incarceration.

Main Results:

• Cannabis (52.8%), cocaine/crack (28.6%), benzodiazepines (23.1%), and heroin (14.8%) were the most commonly used PAS.
• Intravenous use, illegal acquisition of PAS, and use of heroin/speedball or cocaine/crack significantly increased the odds of abuse/dependence.
• Opioid substitution treatment (OST) was associated with a reduced likelihood of abuse/dependence.

Conclusions:

• While acknowledging limitations like self-reported data and potential sample bias, the study underscores the high prevalence of PAS use among inmates.
• Identifying risk factors such as specific drug use patterns and routes of administration is vital for effective prevention and management strategies.
• Opioid substitution treatment shows promise in mitigating substance abuse and dependence in the prison population.