Factors Affecting Waiting Times for Opioid Treatment
Author Information
Author(s): Nkemjika Stanley MD, MPH, Oforeh Kenneth MD, Olwit Connie PhD, MSN, Olayinka Olaniyi MD, MPH, Tumenta Terence MD, MPH
Primary Institution: Thomas Jefferson University
Hypothesis
Biological sex has a moderating effect on opioid use disorder treatment accessibility.
Conclusion
Both females and males who received medications for opioid use disorder had lower odds of waiting more than 7 days to enter treatment than those who received no medications.
Supporting Evidence
- Medications for opioid use disorder use among males was significantly different, with waiting 1–7 days and >7 days to enter treatment compared to waiting less than a day.
- Females also showed significant differences in waiting times for medications for opioid use disorder.
- Longer wait times are linked to worse outcomes, such as higher chances of overdosing and relapsing.
Takeaway
This study found that how long people wait to get treatment for opioid use disorder can be different for boys and girls, and that getting certain medications can help them get treated faster.
Methodology
The study used a national sample from the 2018 Treatment Episode Data Set Discharge, analyzing waiting times and treatment accessibility through logistic regression.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from self-reported data and the administrative nature of the dataset.
Limitations
The cross-sectional nature of the data limits causal inferences, and the reliance on self-reported data may introduce bias.
Participant Demographics
Participants were predominantly aged 25-49, with a majority being non-Hispanic White, and included both males and females with varying educational and employment statuses.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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