The role of substance use in the lives of incarcerated older adults: A qualitative study

Avieli, Hila

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1116654

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 69 publications

(88 reference statements)

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“…Using data from a 2015 to 2017 national drug use survey, Schuler et al report that older adults who “misuse” prescription opioids are more likely to have a medical source for their opioids, compared to younger people, and cite pain relief as their primary motivator for substance use [ 13 ]. Another study identified the role of social and familial networks in the initiation of substance use among incarcerated older adults with a history of drug use [ 14 ]. We could not locate studies on harm reduction behaviors or drug use management strategies among older adults in the US who use substances.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health care and harm reduction provider perspectives on treating older adults who use non-medical opioids: a qualitative study set in Chicago

Mason,

Post,

Aggarwal

2023

BMC Health Serv Res

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Background Opioid overdose death rates are increasing for adults aged 55 and older, with especially high rates in large urban areas. In parallel, admissions to treatment programs for older adults using illicit substances are increasing as well. Despite these trends, there is a lack of information about older adults who use non-medical opioids (NMO) and even less knowledge about their health and service encounters. Conducted in Chicago, Illinois, this qualitative study explores the perspectives of health care and harm reduction service providers who work with older adults using non-medical opioids. Methods The study used snowball sampling to locate participants with expertise in working with older adults who use non-medical opioids. In total, we conducted 26 semi-structured interviews from September 2021-August 2022. We explored questions regarding participants’ perceptions of older adult opioid use patterns, comorbidities, and involvement in harm reduction outreach and opioid use disorder treatment. Results Many of the providers we interviewed consider older adults who use NMO as a distinct population that employ unique use behaviors with the intent to protect them from opioid overdose. However, these same unique behaviors may potentiate their risk for overdose in today’s climate. Providers report initial encounters that are not care seeking for opioid use and primarily oriented around health conditions. Older adults who use non-medical opioids are seen as complex patients due to the need to diagnostically untangle symptoms of substance use from co-morbidities and conditions associated with aging. Treatment for this population is also viewed as complicated due to the interactions between aging, comorbidities, and substance use. Providers also noted that older adults who use NMO have use behaviors that make them less visible to outreach and treatment service providers, potentially putting them at increased risk for overdose and health conditions associated with opioid use. Conclusions Findings from this study are intended to inform future research on care provision for older adults who use non-medical opioids and may be especially applicable to large urban reas with histories of opioid use dating back to earlier drug epidemics of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health care and harm reduction provider perspectives on treating older adults who use non-medical opioids: a qualitative study set in Chicago

Mason,

Post,

Aggarwal

2023

BMC Health Serv Res

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Trends in deaths following drug use in England before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdowns

Sekeris,

Algahtani,

Aldabergenov

et al. 2023

Front. Public Health

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AimThis research aimed to describe how the characteristics of deaths following drug use changed during the COVID-19 pandemic in England, and how this can inform future strategy to support the health and social care of people who use drugs in future emergency scenarios.MethodAll deaths reported to the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths which occurred between January 2018 and December 2021 inclusive were extracted for analysis. Exponential smoothing models were constructed to determine any differences between forecasted vs. actual trends.Key resultsFollowing the first lockdown period in England there were significant increases in the proportion of people who died at home beyond the 95% confidence bounds of the exponential smoothing model and concurrent decreases in the proportion of people who died in hospital. Whilst the overall proportion of deaths attributable to opioids did not significantly deviate from the forecasted trend, there were significant increases in methadone-related deaths and decreases in heroin/morphine-related death beyond the 95% confidence bounds. The proportion of deaths concluded as suicide increased, as did those implicating antidepressant use. There were no changes in the proportion of deaths following use of other drug classes, alcohol use in combination with psychoactive drugs, or on decedent demographics (gender, age, and drug user status). A small number of deaths due to drug use had COVID-19 infection itself listed as a cause of death (n = 23).ConclusionFor people who use drugs, the impact of the restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic was greater than that of infection from the virus itself. The health and social care strategy for these people needs to be pre-emptively adapted to mitigate against the specific risk factors for fatal drug overdose associated with future emergency scenarios.

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The role of substance use in the lives of incarcerated older adults: A qualitative study

Cited by 2 publications

References 69 publications

Health care and harm reduction provider perspectives on treating older adults who use non-medical opioids: a qualitative study set in Chicago

Health care and harm reduction provider perspectives on treating older adults who use non-medical opioids: a qualitative study set in Chicago

Trends in deaths following drug use in England before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdowns

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