Opioid Agonist Therapy Retention Research Articles

Social networks, secondary syringe exchange, and opioid agonist therapy retention among people who inject drugs in Hartford, CT

BackgroundOpioid agonist therapies (OAT) and harm reduction such as syringe service programs (SSP) have been shown to be effective in preventing adverse outcomes such as overdose deaths, HIV and Hepatitis C infections among people who inject drugs (PWID). The importance of social network influence on disease transmission is well established, yet the interplay between harm reduction and network structures is, generally, not well understood. This study aims to analyze how social networks can mediate the harm reduction effects associated with secondary exchange through syringe service programs (SSP) and opioid agonist therapies (OAT) among injection network members. MethodsSociometric data on networks on people who inject drugs from Hartford, CT, which were collected in 2012–2013, provided assessment of risk behaviors among 1574 injection network members, including participation in OAT and SSP. Subject's network characteristics were examined in relation to retention in OAT, as well as secondary syringe exchange using exponential random graph model (ERGM) and regression. ResultsBased on the analysis, we found that probability of individuals being retained in OAT was positively associated with the OAT retention status of their peers within the network. Using simulations, we found that higher levels of positive correlation of OAT retention among network members can result in reduced risk of transmission of HIV to network partners on OAT. In addition, we found that secondary syringe exchange engagement was associated with higher probability of sharing of paraphernalia and unsterile needles at the network level. ConclusionsUnderstanding how networks mediate risk behaviors is crucial for making progress toward ending the HIV epidemic.

The Association Between Self-Reported Anxiety and Retention in Opioid Agonist Therapy: Findings From a Canadian Pragmatic Trial.

Prescription-type opioid use disorder (POUD) is often accompanied by comorbid anxiety, yet the impact of anxiety on retention in opioid agonist therapy (OAT) is unclear. Therefore, this study investigated whether baseline anxiety severity affects retention in OAT and whether this effect differs by OAT type (methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) vs. buprenorphine/naloxone (BNX)). This secondary analysis used data from a pan-Canadian randomized trial comparing flexible take-home dosing BNX and standard supervised MMT for 24 weeks. The study included 268 adults with POUD. Baseline anxiety was assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), with BAI ≥ 16 indicating moderate-to-severe anxiety. The primary outcomes were retention in assigned and any OAT at week 24. In addition, the impact of anxiety severity on retention was examined, and assigned OAT was considered an effect modifier. Of the participants, 176 (65%) reported moderate-to-severe baseline anxiety. In adjusted analyses, there was no significant difference in retention between those with BAI ≥ 16 and those with BAI < 16 assigned (29% vs. 28%; odds ratio (OR) = 2.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.94-4.40; P = 0.07) or any OAT (35% vs. 34%; OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 0.77-3.21; P = 0.21). In addition, there was no significant effect modification by OAT type for retention in assigned (P = 0.41) or any OAT (P = 0.71). In adjusted analyses, greater retention in treatment was associated with BNX (vs. MMT), male gender identity (vs. female, transgender, or other), enrolment in the Quebec study site (vs. other sites), and absence of a positive urine drug screen for stimulants at baseline. Baseline anxiety severity did not significantly impact retention in OAT for adults with POUD, and there was no significant effect modification by OAT type. However, the overall retention rates were low, highlighting the need to develop new strategies to minimize the risk of attrition from treatment. This study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03033732).

Characterizing opioid agonist therapy uptake and factors associated with treatment retention among people with HIV in British Columbia, Canada

Accidental overdoses are now the leading cause of death among people with HIV (PWH) in British Columbia (BC). We examined the utilization and retention of opioid agonist therapy (OAT).Adult PWH (≥19 years) with ≥ 1 OAT dispensation in BC between 2008 and 2020 were included (n = 1,515). OAT treatment episodes were formed based on specific criteria for slow-release oral morphine (SROM), methadone, injectable OAT (iOAT), and buprenorphine/naloxone. Retention in treatment was defined as any episode lasting ≥ 12 months. Logistic regression with generalized estimating equations modeled retention-associated factors.There was a 56.6% decline in OAT retention over time. Buprenorphine treatment exhibited significantly lower odds of retention (OR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.36–0.92) compared to methadone. Conversely, no significant change in retention odds was observed for SROM (0.72; 0.33–1.54) and iOAT (0.81; 0.31–2.12). Factors associated with increased odds of retention included a 10-year increase in age (1.69; 1.46–1.95), previous retention history (1.96; 1.40–2.73), achieving OAT therapeutic dose (8.22; 6.67–10.14), and suppressed HIV viral load (1.35; 1.10–1.67). Individuals with a lifetime HCV diagnosis receiving iOAT were more likely to retain (3.61; 1.20–10.83). Each additional year on OAT during the study period was associated with a 4% increase in the odds of retention.A significant proportion of PWH had a history of OAT prescribing but experienced low retention rates. Retention outcomes were more positive for SROM and iOAT. The association between OAT medication type and retention odds may be particularly influenced by HCV diagnosis. Optimal management of opioid use disorder among PWH, with an emphasis on attaining the therapeutic dose is crucial.

Opioid agonist therapy switching among individuals with prescription-type opioid use disorder: Secondary analysis of a pragmatic randomized trial

BackgroundEngagement and retention in opioid agonist therapy (OAT) remains a challenge. This study evaluated the impact of initial randomized OAT allocation on subsequent switching among people with prescription-type opioid use disorder (POUD). MethodsSecondary analysis of a 24-week Canadian multicenter, pragmatic, randomized trial conducted between 2017 and 2020 comparing flexible take-home buprenorphine/naloxone versus supervised methadone models of care for POUD. We used Cox Proportional Hazards modeling to assess for impact of treatment assignment on time to OAT switching, adjusting for important confounders. For clinical correlates, we analyzed data from baseline questionnaires on demographic, substance use, and health factors as well as urine drug screen. ResultsOf 272 randomized participants, 210 initiated OAT within 14 days per trial protocol, of whom 103 participants were randomized to buprenorphine/naloxone and 107 to methadone. Within 24-week follow-up, 41 (20.5%) of all participants switched OAT with 25 (24.3%, median 27 days, 88.4 per 100 person-years) and 16 participants (15.0%, median 53.5 days, 46.1 per 100 person-years) switching from buprenorphine/naloxone and methadone arms, respectively. In adjusted analysis, allocation to buprenorphine/naloxone was associated with significantly higher risk of switching (aHR = 2.31, 95% CI 1.22 – 4.38). ConclusionsOAT switching was common in this sample of individuals with POUD, with individuals randomly allocated to buprenorphine/naloxone being more than twice as likely to switch versus methadone. This may reflect a stepped care approach in OUD management. More research is needed to evaluate overall retention and outcomes with the different observed risks of switching between methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone.

Predictors of crystal methamphetamine use initiation or re-initiation among people receiving opioid agonist therapy: A prospective cohort study

BackgroundIn the context of the ongoing opioid crisis in the United States and Canada, opioid agonist therapy (OAT) is the first-line treatment for opioid use disorder. However, there is growing concern regarding the increasing methamphetamine use among those on OAT, as well as the impact of such use may have on OAT retention and outcomes. We sought to identify the predictors of crystal methamphetamine initiation or re-initiation among people on OAT, in order to facilitate the development of effective preventive strategies. MethodsWe employed multivariable generalized estimating equations to identify the predictors of crystal methamphetamine use initiation or re-initiation among those who were on OAT within two prospective cohorts in Vancouver, Canada between 2005 and 2020. ResultsOf the 1281 participants receiving OAT, the median age was 43 years, and 59.2 % were male at baseline. During study follow-up, 564 (44.0 %) initiated or re-initiated crystal methamphetamine use while receiving OAT. In a multivariable model, a higher crystal methamphetamine use initiation or re-initiation rate was positively associated with younger age, unstable housing, unprotected sex, history of crystal methamphetamine use, as well as recent cocaine, prescription opioid, and unregulated opioid use (all p < 0.05). ConclusionsWe identified high and increasing rates of crystal methamphetamine use initiation or re-initiation among our sample of people on OAT. Intervention strategies including housing program referral, sexual risk reduction, and integrated treatment approaches targeting polysubstance use are urgently needed to reduce the risks associated with methamphetamine use as well as the co-use of methamphetamine and opioids.

Treatment retention in opioid agonist therapy: comparison of methadone versus buprenorphine/naloxone by analysis of daily-witnessed dispensed medication in a Canadian Province

BackgroundThe last decade has shown a remarkable increase in the rates of illicit opioid use in Canada and internationally, which is associated with large increases in opioid related morbidity and mortality. While the differences between methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone in terms of retention have been studied outside Canada, the unique location and design of this study, gives it a specific significance.ObjectivesThis study aims to describe the relative treatment retention rates for first episode opioid replacement treatment between methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone for patients receiving daily witnessed dispensed medications in Nova Scotia.MethodsA longitudinal retrospective descriptive study analyzing secondary data from the Nova Scotia Prescription Monitoring Program on patients 18 years of age and older who started first episode opioid agonist therapy with methadone or buprenorphine/naloxone for opioid use disorder in Nova Scotia between 2014 and 2018. Treatment episode was defined as date of initial opioid agonist prescription until there is a gap of greater than 6 days without receiving opioid agonist medication at a pharmacy.ResultsOne thousand eight hundred sixty-seven of whom were analyzed as they had at least 1 day in treatment. There was significant treatment dropout within the first 2 weeks of treatment, which did not show a significant difference between OAT medication (23.4% of buprenorphine/naloxone; 22.2% methadone). Median duration of retention in treatment was 58 days for those treated with buprenorphine/naloxone and 101 days for patients treated with methadone.Multivariate cox proportional hazards model showed that buprenorphine/naloxone use as compared to methadone lead to increased hazard of treatment dropout by 62% (HR = 1.62).Hazard rate of treatment dropout for patients below 25 years of age was calculated. (HR 1.53).Median duration of retention in treatment for this subgroup of patients younger than age 25 was 37.5 days for patients treated with buprenorphine/naloxone and 69 days for patients treated with methadone.ConclusionsOur data suggests that methadone is a numerically superior medication for opioid use disorder when the metric of treatment retention is viewed in isolation, for our population in Nova Scotia. However, the results should be interpreted carefully considering the number of limitations of this study. There are social/accessibility, pharmacologic/safety, and patient preference factors which are also key in decision making when prescribing opioid agonist therapy. These must all be considered when deciding on which medication to initiate for a patient beginning a new treatment episode with OAT for opioid use disorder. This study should stimulate further research into this important area in addiction medicine.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the provision of take-home doses of opioid agonist therapy in Ontario, Canada: A population-based time-series analysis.

BackgroundIn March 2020, the Ontario government declared a state of emergency due to the growing risk of COVID-19. In response, new guidance for the management of opioid agonist therapy (OAT) was released, which included the expansion of eligibility for take-home doses. We investigated the impact of these changes on trends in the distribution of take-home doses of OAT.MethodsWe conducted a population-based time series analysis among residents of Ontario, Canada who were dispensed OAT between June 25, 2019 and November 30, 2020. For each week of the study period, we calculated the percentage of people dispensed (a) methadone and (b) buprenorphine/naloxone by the number of take-home doses received. We used interventional autoregressive integrated moving average models to estimate changes in the percentage of people dispensed each category of take-home doses in the weeks following the declaration of the state of emergency and release of the OAT dispensing guidance.ResultsFollowing the state of emergency and release of the OAT dispensing guidance, there was a significant increase in the percentage of Ontarians dispensed 7 to 13 (3.6% increase; p = 0.033) and 14 or more (0.8% increase; p<0.001) take-home doses of methadone, and in the percentage of people dispensed 7 to 13 (4.3% increase; p = 0.001), 14 to 27 (2.8% increase; p<0.001), and 28 or more (0.3% increase; p = 0.008) take-home doses of buprenorphine/naloxone. There were significant decreases in the percentage of Ontarians receiving daily dispensed buprenorphine/naloxone (-3.1%; p = 0.001), as well as the percentage dispensed 1 to 6 take-home doses of methadone (-4.5%; p = 0.001) and buprenorphine/naloxone (-4.9%; p = 0.001).ConclusionThe new guidance for dispensing OAT in Ontario resulted in increases in the duration of take-home doses of methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone supplied. However, given that changes were small, strategies to improve retention in OAT and ensure equitable access to take-home dosing should continue.

Twelve-Month Retention in Opioid Agonist Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder Among Patients With and Without HIV.

Although opioid agonist therapy (OAT) is associated with positive health outcomes, including improved HIV management, long-term retention in OAT remains low among patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). Using data from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS), we identify variables independently associated with OAT retention overall and by HIV status. Among 7,334 patients with OUD, 13.7% initiated OAT, and 27.8% were retained 12-months later. Likelihood of initiation and retention did not vary by HIV status. Variables associated with improved likelihood of retention included receiving buprenorphine (relative to methadone), receiving both buprenorphine and methadone at some point over the 12-month period, or diagnosis of HCV. History of homelessness was associated with a lower likelihood of retention. Predictors of retention were largely distinct between patients with HIV and patients without HIV. Findings highlight the need for clinical, systems, and research initiatives to better understand and improve OAT retention.

Trajectories of Retention in Opioid Agonist Therapy and Overdose Risk During a Community-Wide Overdose Epidemic in a Canadian Setting

Retention in opioid agonist therapy consistently has been linked with improved outcomes among people with opioid use disorder. However, less is known about the links between patterns of engagement in opioid agonist therapy over the long term and overdose risk. This study assesses the association of opioid agonist therapy retention trajectories with nonfatal overdose. Data were drawn from 2 community-recruited prospective cohorts of people who use drugs in Vancouver, Canada. Latent class growth analysis was used to identify trajectories of opioid agonist therapy retention among people with opioid use disorder initiating therapy, and generalized estimating equations assessed the association of these trajectories with nonfatal overdose events after opioid agonist therapy initiation. Between 2005 and 2018, among 438 opioid agonist therapy initiators, 4 retention trajectories were identified: consistently high (35.6%), increasing (26.0%), consistently low (23.3%), and decreasing (15.1%) opioid agonist therapy engagement. During the study period, there were 371 nonfatal overdose events, with 179 (40.1%) participants reporting ≥1. In adjusted analysis, the consistently low (AOR=1.73, 95% CI=1.10, 2.71) and decreasing (AOR=1.87, 95% CI=1.18, 2.95) retention trajectories were positively associated with increased odds of nonfatal overdose compared with the consistently high opioid agonist therapy retention class. Suboptimal trajectories of opioid agonist therapy retention were associated with an increased likelihood of nonfatal overdose. These findings suggest that reducing the barriers to sustained engagement in opioid agonist therapy will be critical to address North America's overdose epidemic.

Individual Factors Associated with Opioid Agonist Therapy Retention in Northern Ontario

ABSTRACT Objectives: Opioid agonist therapy (OAT) is well accessed in Northern Ontario, but treatment drop-out rates are high, and retention is clearly established as a key indicator of success. Improving retention through identification and targeting of contributing factors could yield better patient outcomes. This study aimed to identify individual factors associated with OAT retention among patients enrolled in Northern Ontario. Method: Forty-five individuals completed face-to-face interviews within 2 weeks of OAT enrolment at an outpatient clinic in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The association of baseline factors with program retention was analyzed at 1, 3, and 6 months postintake. Results: At 1 month, receiving financial support from others and being comfortable with spirituality and beliefs were protective against dropout, while history of criminal conviction was a risk factor (P &lt; 0.05). At 3 months, living at current home for at least 1 year and receiving financial support from others were protective factors, whereas recent heroin use and recent family conflict were risk factors (P &lt; 0.05). At 6 months, no protective factors were identified, but recent family conflict was a risk factor (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: This study identified several individual factors associated with OAT retention among patients enrolled in Northern Ontario. It may be useful to consider these factors in developing targeted risk-reduction and treatment strategies. Overall, this study highlights the need for individualized, whole person care and integration of support services into OAT programs. Objectifs: La thérapie par agonistes opioïdes (TAO) est très accessible dans le Nord de l’Ontario, mais les taux d’abandon du traitement sont élevés et la rétention est clairement établie comme un indicateur clé de succès. L’amélioration de la rétention grâce à l’identification et au ciblage des facteurs contributifs pourrait produire de meilleurs résultats pour les patients. Cette étude vise à identifier les facteurs individuels associés à la rétention de l’OAT chez les patients inscrits dans le nord de l’Ontario. Méthode: Quarante-cinq personnes ont effectué des entrevues personnelles dans les deux semaines suivant l’inscription à l’OAT dans une clinique externe à Thunder Bay, en Ontario. L’association des facteurs de base avec la rétention du programme a été analysée un, trois et six mois après l’admission. Résultats: Après un mois, recevoir un soutien financier et être à l’aise avec la spiritualité et les croyances protégeaient contre le décrochage, tandis que les antécédents de condamnation criminelle étaient un facteur de risque (P &lt; 0,05). Après trois mois, vivre au domicile actuel pendant au moins un an et recevoir un soutien financier étaient des facteurs de protection, alors que la consommation récente d’héroïne et les récents conflits familiaux étaient des facteurs de risque (P &lt; 0,05). Après six mois, aucun facteur de protection n’a été identifié, mais un conflit familial récent était un facteur de risque (P &lt; 0,05). Conclusion: Cette étude a identifié plusieurs facteurs individuels associés à la rétention de l’OAT chez les patients inscrits dans le nord de l’Ontario. Il peut être utile de retenir ces facteurs dans l’élaboration de stratégies ciblées de réduction des risques et de traitements. Dans l’ensemble, cette étude met en évidence la nécessité de soins individualisés pour la personne dans son intégralité et de l’intégration des services de soutien dans les programmes OAT.

Trajectories of retention in opioid agonist therapy in a Canadian setting

BackgroundLong-term engagement in opioid agonist therapy (OAT) has been consistently associated with reduced risk for morbidity and mortality in people with opioid use disorder (OUD). However, the dynamic nature of engagement/disengagement in OUD care for over time is poorly captured by traditional metrics. We characterized long-term longitudinal trajectories of engagement in OAT in Vancouver, Canada, between 2005 and 2018. MethodsData were derived from two community-recruited prospective cohorts of people who use drugs. Retention in OAT was defined as self-reported enrolment in OAT for two consecutive follow-up periods (an approximately six-month retention interval). We used latent class growth analysis to identify OAT engagement trajectories during the first five years after OAT initiation and multivariable logistic regression to evaluate predictors of trajectory group membership. ResultsWe identified four OAT retention trajectories among 438 OAT initiators: “consistently high” (36%), “consistently low” (23%), “increasing” (23%), and “decreasing” (15%). Employment was a significant cross-cutting predictor of membership of all sub-optimal OAT engagement patterns compared to consistently high trajectories. We also found that initiating OAT after 2014 (when regulatory changes to the provincial OAT program were introduced) was associated with the “consistently low” engagement group relative to others. ConclusionsWe identified four distinct OAT engagement trajectories in Vancouver, Canada, with employment being a common predictor of sub-optimal care trajectories, suggesting the need to explore alternative OAT models to address employment-related barriers. Care trajectory analysis could help inform tailored interventions to specific populations of people with OUD at specific time points to improve engagement in OAT, and decrease opioid-related morbidity and mortality.

Concurrent Initiation of Hepatitis C and Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in People Who Inject Drugs.

People who inject drugs have a high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and significant disease associated with drug use; however, HCV treatment often occurs in absence of interventions to address opioid use disorder and drug use-related harms. The impact of concurrent initiation of opioid agonist therapy (OAT) on HCV treatment and drug use outcomes is unknown. In this prospective, open-label, observational trial at a harm reduction organization's drop-in center in Washington, DC, 100 patients with chronic HCV infection, opioid use disorder, and ongoing injection drug use were treated with sofosbuvir-velpatasvir for 12-weeks and offered buprenorphine initiation. The primary end point was sustained virologic response (SVR), and secondary end points included uptake of and retention in OAT, change in risk behavior, and determinants of SVR. Eighty-two patients (82%) achieved SVR, which was not associated with baseline OAT status (P = .33), on-treatment drug use (P >.99), or imperfect daily adherence (P = .35) but was significantly associated with completing 2 or more 28-pill bottles of sofosbuvir-velpatasvir (P < .001) and receiving OAT at week 24 (P = .01). Of 67 patients not already receiving OAT at baseline, 53 (79%) started OAT. At week 24, 68 (68%) patients were receiving OAT. Receipt of OAT was associated with fewer opiate-positive urine drug screens (P = .003), lower human immunodeficiency virus risk-taking behavior scores (P < .001), and lower rates of opioid overdose (P = .04). The Novel Model of Hepatitis C Treatment as an Anchor to Prevent HIV, Initiate Opioid Agonist Therapy, and Reduce Risky Behavior study demonstrates high uptake of buprenorphine collocated with HCV treatment, and it shows that concurrent initiation of OAT with HCV treatment can result in high rates of SVR while reducing risks associated with drug use. NCT03221309.

Implementation of a regional quality improvement collaborative to improve care of people living with opioid use disorder in a Canadian setting

BackgroundAlthough opioid agonist therapy is effective in treating opioid use disorders (OUD), retention in opioid agonist therapy is suboptimal, in part, due to quality of care issues. Therefore, we sought to describe the planning and implementation of a quality improvement initiative aimed at closing gaps in care for people living with OUD through changes to workflow and care processes in Vancouver, Canada.MethodsThe Best-practice in Oral Opioid agoniSt Therapy (BOOST) Collaborative followed the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Breakthrough Series Collaborative methodology over 18-months. Teams participated in a series of activities and events to support implementing, measuring, and sharing best practices in OAT and OUD care. Teams were assigned monthly implementation scores to monitor their progress on meeting Collaborative aims and implementing changes.ResultsSeventeen health care teams from a range of health care practices caring for a total of 4301 patients with a documented diagnosis of OUD, or suspected OUD based on electronic medical record chart data participated in the Collaborative. Teams followed the Breakthrough Series Collaborative methodology closely and reported monthly on a series of standardized process and outcome indicators. The majority of (59%) teams showed some improvement throughout the Collaborative as indicated by implementation scores.ConclusionsDescriptive data from the evaluation of this initiative illustrates its success. It provides further evidence to support the implementation of quality improvement interventions to close gaps in OUD care processes and treatment outcomes for people living with OUD. This system-level approach has been spread across British Columbia and could be used by other jurisdictions facing similar overdose crises.

Trends in AIDS Mortality, Retention in Opioid Agonist Therapy, and HIV RNA Suppression in HIV-Infected People Who Injected Drugs from 2000 to 2015.

AIDS is a major cause of preventable mortality in HIV-infected people who inject drugs (HIV-PWID). An observational study was conducted to examine trends in AIDS mortality and related factors among HIV-infected individuals who died between 2000 and 2015 at an urban hospital. Overall HIV-mortality was 6.5% (413/6307) with no changes over time (p 0.76). AIDS mortality dropped in HIV-PWID (p 0.02) although it represented 26.4% at the end of study period. Age (per one-year increase) [odds ratio (OR) 0.95], third study period (2010-2015) (OR 0.54), HIV-PWID on opioid agonist therapy (OAT) (OR 0.39), and HIV RNA suppression (OR 0.15) were associated with AIDS mortality. OAT was reported in 58.3% (161/276) and RNA suppression in 30.9% (85/276) of HIV-PWID. OAT non-retention was due to drop-outs [85.2% (98/115)] and rejection [14.8% (17/115)] in HIV-PWID. Therefore, additional strategies are required to improve OAT retention and HIV RNA suppression to continue reducing AIDS mortality.

Opioid users with comorbid hepatitis C spent more time in agonist therapy: A 6-year observational study in Taiwan

BackgroundHepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is highly prevalent among opioid agonist therapy (OAT) patients, but little is known about long-term OAT use among this population. MethodsSubjects diagnosed as opioid dependence were recruited from Mar. 2006 to Jul. 2008 in a psychiatry center in southern Taiwan with the OAT censored in 2012, and their socio-demographics, drug use characteristics, and markers of blood-borne infection were assessed at entry. Correlates with HCV infection and OAT retention were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. Retention (OAT utilization) was defined as the in-treatment period of OAT during the 6-year observation period. ResultsA total of 983 patients (88.3% men) were included. The prevalences of HCV and HIV infection were 91.4% and 17.9%, respectively. The mean duration of OAT during the study period was 2.3±0.8years. Significant correlates with HCV infection were retention of at least three years in OAT (AOR: 4.24, 95%CI: 1.49–12.03), ever sharing injection equipment (AOR: 227.04, 95%CI: 57.22–900.87), not living with family (AOR: 5.54, 95%CI: 1.45–21.16), lower educational attainment (AOR: 2.10, 95%CI: 1.15–3.82) and previous drug offense (AOR: 6.35, 95%CI: 1.69–23.83). Significant correlates with retention were HCV infection (AOR: 2.53, 95%CI: 1.30–4.93) and divorced or separation in marriage (AOR: 0.65, 95%CI: 0.44–0.96). ConclusionsThis six-year observational study revealed a better retention in OAT if opioid-dependent individuals had comorbid hepatitis C. This provided opportunities for OAT patients with HCV infection to obtain medical treatment while staying in an OAT program. Further research could explore the possibility of eradicating comorbid HCV infection among these long-term treatment cases.

Factors associated with physical and sexual violence by police among people who inject drugs in Ukraine: implications for retention on opioid agonist therapy.

IntroductionUkraine's volatile HIV epidemic, one of the largest in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, remains concentrated in people who inject drugs (PWID). HIV prevalence is high (21.3% to 41.8%) among the estimated 310,000 PWID. Opioid agonist therapy (OAT) is the most cost-effective HIV prevention strategy there, yet OAT services are hampered by negative attitudes and frequent harassment of OAT clients and site personnel by law enforcement. This paper examines the various types of police violence that Ukrainian PWID experience and factors associated with the different types of violence, as well as the possible implications of police harassment on OAT retention.MethodsIn 2014 to 2015, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in five Ukrainian cities with 1613 PWID currently, previously and never on OAT, using a combination of respondent-driven sampling, as well as random sampling. We analysed correlates of police violence by multiple factors, including by gender, and their effects on duration of OAT retention. Self-reported physical and sexual violence by police were the two primary outcomes, while retention on OAT was used as a secondary outcome.ResultsOverall, 1033 (64.0%) PWID reported being physically assaulted by police, which was positively correlated with currently or previously being on OAT (69.1% vs. 60.2%; p<0.01). HIV prevalence rates were higher in those receiving OAT than those not on OAT (47.6% vs. 36.1%; p<0.01). Police violence experiences differed by sex, with men experiencing significantly more physical violence, while women experienced more sexual violence (65.9% vs. 42.6%; p<0.01). For PWID who had successfully accessed OAT, longer OAT retention was significantly correlated both with sexual assault by police and fewer non-fatal overdoses.ConclusionsPolice violence is a frequent experience among PWID in Ukraine, particularly for those accessing OAT, an evidence-based primary and secondary HIV prevention strategy. Police violence experiences, however, were different for men and women, and interventions with police that address these sexual differences and focus on non-violent interactions with PWID to improve access and retention on OAT are crucial for improving HIV prevention and treatment goals for Ukraine.

Predictors of retention in methadone programs: A signal detection analysis

Retention in Opioid Agonist Therapy (OAT) is associated with reductions in substance use, HIV risk behavior, and criminal activities in opioid dependent patients. To improve the effectiveness of treatment for opioid dependence, it is important to identify predisposing characteristics and provider-related variables that predict retention in OAT. Participants include 258 veterans enrolled in 8 outpatient methadone/ l-alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM) treatment programs. Signal detection analysis was utilized to identify variables predictive of 1-year retention and to identify the optimal cut-offs for significant predictors. Provider-related variables play a vital role in predicting retention in OAT programs, as higher methadone dose (≥59 mg/day) and greater treatment satisfaction were among the strongest predictors of retention at 1-year follow-up.