TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence and correlates of street-obtained buprenorphine use among current and former injectors in Baltimore, Maryland
AU - Genberg, Becky L.
AU - Gillespie, Mirinda
AU - Schuster, Charles R.
AU - Johanson, Chris Ellyn
AU - Astemborski, Jacquie
AU - Kirk, Gregory D.
AU - Vlahov, David
AU - Mehta, Shruti H.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health , grant numbers R01DA012568 and R01DA004334 . NIDA had no role in the study design, collection, analysis or interpretation of the data, writing the manuscript, or the decision to submit the paper for publication.
Copyright:
Copyright 2013 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2013/12
Y1 - 2013/12
N2 - Objectives: There are few systematic assessments of street-obtained buprenorphine use from community-based samples in the United States. The objective of this study was to characterize the prevalence, correlates, and reasons for street-obtained buprenorphine use among current and former injection drug users (IDUs) in Baltimore, Maryland. Methods: In 2008, participants of the ALIVE (AIDS Linked to the IntraVenous Experience) study, a community-based cohort of IDUs, were administered a survey on buprenorphine. Street-obtained buprenorphine represented self-reported use of buprenorphine obtained from the street or a friend in the prior three months. Results: Six hundred and two respondents were predominantly male (65%), African-American (91%), and 30% were HIV-positive. Overall, nine percent reported recent street-obtained buprenorphine use, and only 2% reported using to get high. Among active opiate users, 23% reported recent use of street-obtained buprenorphine. Use of buprenorphine prescribed by a physician, injection and non-injection drug use, use of street-obtained methadone and prescription opiates, homelessness, and opioid withdrawal symptoms were positively associated, while methadone treatment, health insurance, outpatient care, and HIV-infection were negatively associated with recent street-obtained buprenorphine use in univariate analysis. After adjustment, active injection and heroin use were positively associated with street-obtained buprenorphine use. Ninety-one percent reported using street-obtained buprenorphine to manage withdrawal symptoms. Conclusions: While 9% reported recent street-obtained buprenorphine use, only a small minority reported using buprenorphine to get high, with the majority reporting use to manage withdrawal symptoms. There is limited evidence of diversion of buprenorphine in this sample and efforts to expand buprenorphine treatment should continue with further monitoring.
AB - Objectives: There are few systematic assessments of street-obtained buprenorphine use from community-based samples in the United States. The objective of this study was to characterize the prevalence, correlates, and reasons for street-obtained buprenorphine use among current and former injection drug users (IDUs) in Baltimore, Maryland. Methods: In 2008, participants of the ALIVE (AIDS Linked to the IntraVenous Experience) study, a community-based cohort of IDUs, were administered a survey on buprenorphine. Street-obtained buprenorphine represented self-reported use of buprenorphine obtained from the street or a friend in the prior three months. Results: Six hundred and two respondents were predominantly male (65%), African-American (91%), and 30% were HIV-positive. Overall, nine percent reported recent street-obtained buprenorphine use, and only 2% reported using to get high. Among active opiate users, 23% reported recent use of street-obtained buprenorphine. Use of buprenorphine prescribed by a physician, injection and non-injection drug use, use of street-obtained methadone and prescription opiates, homelessness, and opioid withdrawal symptoms were positively associated, while methadone treatment, health insurance, outpatient care, and HIV-infection were negatively associated with recent street-obtained buprenorphine use in univariate analysis. After adjustment, active injection and heroin use were positively associated with street-obtained buprenorphine use. Ninety-one percent reported using street-obtained buprenorphine to manage withdrawal symptoms. Conclusions: While 9% reported recent street-obtained buprenorphine use, only a small minority reported using buprenorphine to get high, with the majority reporting use to manage withdrawal symptoms. There is limited evidence of diversion of buprenorphine in this sample and efforts to expand buprenorphine treatment should continue with further monitoring.
KW - Buprenorphine
KW - Diversion
KW - Drug treatment
KW - Injection drug use
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84883681729&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84883681729&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2013.08.008
DO - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2013.08.008
M3 - Article
C2 - 24018232
AN - SCOPUS:84883681729
VL - 38
SP - 2868
EP - 2873
JO - Addictive Behaviors
JF - Addictive Behaviors
SN - 0306-4603
IS - 12
ER -