Exploring opioid use disorder, its impact, and treatment among individuals experiencing homelessness as part of a family

The opioid epidemic is a significant source of morbidity and mortality in the United States (Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, 2015). The epidemic has hit people experiencing homelessness particularly hard —in fact, in Massachusetts, overdose - primarily from opioids - is the leading cause of death in that population (Baggett et al., 2013). Research has shown that Office-Based Opioid Treatment (OBOT), which consists of comprehensive outpatient services including medication for OUD treatment, often i ntegrated with voluntary behavioral therapies within a primary care setting—has similar outcomes in promoting sobriety and preventing overdose, both for adults experiencing homelessness and housed adults (Alford et al., 2007; LaBelle et al., 2016).
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - Category: Addiction Authors: Tags: Full length article Source Type: research