Abstract
Background: The Houston Emergency Opioid Engagement System was established to create an access pathway into long-term recovery for individuals with opioid use disorder. The program determines effectiveness across multiple dimensions, one of which is by measuring the participant’s reported quality of life (QoL) at the beginning of the program and at successive intervals. Methods: A visual analog scale was used to measure the change in QoL among participants after joining the program. We then identified sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with changes in QoL. Results: 71% of the participants (n = 494) experienced an increase in their QoL scores, with an average improvement of 15.8 ± 29 points out of a hundred. We identified 10 factors associated with a significant change in QoL. Participants who relapsed during treatment experienced minor increases in QoL, and participants who attended professional counseling experienced the largest increases in QoL compared with those who did not. Conclusions: Insight into significant factors associated with increases in QoL may inform programs on areas of focus. The inclusion of counseling and other services that address factors such as psychological distress were found to increase participants’ QoL and success in recovery.
Highlights
Quality of life (QoL), according to the World Health Organization, is a “state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being”, is achieved not by the absence of disease, but is largely subjective to change according to individual perceptions, experiences, and expectations [1]
We evaluated changes in quality of life (QoL), and sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with the change at various intervals in an opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment program
Our study demonstrated a relationship between decrease in QoL and relapse, it is unclear whether relapse preceded or followed a drop in rated QoL
Summary
Quality of life (QoL), according to the World Health Organization, is a “state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being”, is achieved not by the absence of disease, but is largely subjective to change according to individual perceptions, experiences, and expectations [1]. While chronic and acute illness significantly affects the overall quality of a participant’s life, including physical health, mental, and social wellbeing, it affects relationships and meaningful participation in social activities [2]. Because mental and social wellbeing are essential for overall health, the model for chronic disease management includes long-term medical, behavioral, and social care that is coordinated, if not integrated. Chronic disease management incorporates mental health and social support with medical care, and has been shown to improve participant outcomes and QoL [3,4]. The recommended course of treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) is medication and behavioral health counseling; and not always included, social support services are vital to improving QoL [7,8,9].
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