Stimulant use disorder diagnosis and opioid agonist treatment dispensation following release from prison: a cohort study

Original research
by
Palis, Heather et al

Release Date

2022

Geography

Canada

Language of Resource

English

Full Text Available

Yes

Open Access / OK to Reproduce

Yes

Peer Reviewed

Yes

Objective

In the context of rising concurrent stimulant use among people with opioid use disorder, this study aims to investigate the impact of stimulant use disorder on opioid agonist treatment dispensation following release from prison in BC.

Findings/Key points

People with mental illness and stimulant use disorder diagnoses have a lower odds of being dispensed agonist treatment post-release compared to people with mental illness alone. There is a critical need to scale up and adapt opioid agonist treatment and ancillary harm reduction, and treatment services to reach people released from prison who have concurrent stimulant use disorder and mental illness diagnoses.

Design/methods

Linked health and corrections records (n=13,380)

Keywords

About PWUD
Stimulants
Substitution/OAT
Legal system/law enforcement