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Too Few Teens with Opioid Use Disorder Get Tx
JAMA Pediatr; 2017 Aug; Hadland, et al
Although the administration of buprenorphine and naltrexone to teens with opioid use disorder has been increasing in recent years, the drugs are still woefully underutilized, according to a large retrospective analysis. Details of the study are as follows:
- 20,822 youths with opioid use disorder (OUD) were included in the analysis.
- The diagnosis of OUD has increased almost 6-fold from 2001 to 2014.
- Dispensing of medication for the disorder increased from 3.0% in 2002 to 31.8% in 2009 and then dropped to 27.8% in 2014.
- However, only 1 in 4 young OUD patients who had private insurance received medication.
- Younger patients, females, non-Hispanic blacks, and Hispanics were less likely to receive drug therapy, when compared to non-Hispanic whites.
Citation:
Hadland SE, Wharam JF, Schuster MA, et al. Trends in receipt of buprenorphine and naltrexone for opioid use disorder among adolescents and young adults, 2001-2014. JAMA Pediatr. 2017;171:747-755. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.0745.