Does opioid agonist treatment reduce overdose mortality risk in people who are older or have physical comorbidities? Cohort study using linked administrative health data in New South Wales, Australia, 2002-2017

Original research
by
Larney, Sarah et al

Release Date

2023

Geography

Australia

Language of Resource

English

Full Text Available

Yes

Open Access / OK to Reproduce

Yes

Peer Reviewed

Yes

Objective

To quantify the association between opioid agonist treatment (OAT) and overdose death by age group; test the hypothesis that across different age groups, opioid overdose mortality is lowest during OAT with buprenorphine compared with time out of treatment or OAT with methadone; and test associations between OAT and opioid overdose mortality in the presence of chronic circulatory, respiratory, liver, and kidney diseases.

Findings/Key points

Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) appears to reduce mortality risk in people with opioid use disorder who are older or who have physical comorbidities. Opioid overdose mortality during OAT with buprenorphine appears to be lower and reduced in clients with circulatory and respiratory diseases compared with OAT with methadone.

Design/methods

Retrospective observational cohort study using linked administrative data (n=37,764).

Keywords

Overdose
Mortality
About PWUD
Substitution/OAT