Logo image
Back
Mortality in Treatment-seeking Older Adults Receiving Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Mortality in Treatment-seeking Older Adults Receiving Medications for Opioid Use Disorder

Andrea N. Weber, Stephan Arndt, Benjamin Miskle and Nicholas L. Bormann
Journal of addiction medicine, Vol.18(2), pp.185-187
03/01/2024
DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000001256
PMID: 38084854

View Online

Abstract

ObjectivesOlder adults (OAs; age 55+ years) are increasingly seeking specialty treatment of opioid use disorder. Previous analyses of the Treatment Episode Data Set-Discharges (TEDS-D) database have reported higher rates of in-treatment mortality for those receiving medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). We evaluate current trends in mortality for treatment-seeking OAs.MethodsUsing the 2020 TEDS-D, logistic regression predicted in-treatment mortality for OAs from planned MOUD, service level, and interaction terms.ResultsOf the 26,993 OA treatment discharges, 679 people were discharged due to death (2.52%). OAs with MOUD (3.65%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.37%-3.95%) were significantly more likely to discharge due to death than those without MOUD (0.82%; 95% CI, 0.66%-1.01%). Most records were for nonintensive outpatient (83.7%; n = 22,588), which had the highest mortality (2.89%; 95% CI, 2.68%-3.11%); intensive services (n = 4405) had a mortality rate of 0.61% (95% CI, 0.42%-0.89%). Among OAs, planned MOUD with nonintensive outpatient services had a mortality rate of 4.17% (95% CI, 3.56%-4.9%).ConclusionsThis TEDS-D analysis extends previous literature highlighting a significant interaction between planned MOUD and service intensity on in-treatment mortality for OAs. Additional research is needed to address the causal mechanisms behind these interactions and inform the delivery of safe effective care in the growing OA population.
 Substance Abuse Life Sciences & Biomedicine Science & Technology

Details

Metrics

1 Record Views
Logo image