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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2013 Sep-Oct;22(5):500-2.
doi: 10.1111/j.1521-0391.2013.12049.x. Epub 2013 Apr 3.

Community-based treatment for opioid dependent offenders: a pilot study

Randy Brown  1 , Michele Gassman, Scott Hetzel, Lisa Berger
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Community-based treatment for opioid dependent offenders: a pilot study

Randy Brown et al. Am J Addict. 2013 Sep-Oct.

Abstract

Background: Primary care opioid substitution treatment (OST) has not been compared to program-based OST for community-supervised offenders.

Objective: The purpose of this project was to compare primary care to specialist supervised OST for opioid dependent offenders in terms of substance use and HIV risk outcomes.

Methods: This project randomly assigned 15 jail diversion participants to either: (i) primary care buprenorphine OST, (ii) specialist facility buprenorphine OST, or (iii) specialist facility methadone OST. Participation lasted 13.5 months (12-month active treatment plus a post-participation visit).

Results: All subjects endorsed 0 days of opioid use in the previous 14 at follow-up. Specialty care reduced HIV risk (Risk Assessment Battery composite score) over 6 months (-.24 ± .17) compared to primary care (.02 ± .14; p = .032).

Conclusion: Findings support primary care OST feasibility for a community-supervised offender sample. Specialist care may facilitate improvements in secondary outcomes, such as HIV risk behaviors.

Scientific significance: Further research is needed to clarify (i) the role of primary care in addicted offender management, and (ii) the matching of offenders, based upon history and co-morbidity, to care coordination conditions.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Interest:

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
HIV risk behaviors as measured by composite score on the Risk Assessment Battery--differences from baseline at study weeks 24, 52 and at post-participation follow-up as compared to baseline. (MHS = specialist treatment site, Madison Health Services, Wingra = primary care site, Access Community Health Centers-Wingra). The “box plot” depicts information regarding the mean (dot within boxes) difference between baseline RAB score and the result of re-administration at weeks 24, 52, and 58 (FU).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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