Polysubstance Use Patterns among Justice-Involved Individuals Who Use Opioids. (1st October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bunting, Amanda M.; Oser, Carrie; Staton, Michele; Knudsen, Hannah
• Is Part Of: Substance use & misuse. Volume 55:Number 13(2020)
• Page Start: 2165
• Page End: 2174
• Publication Date: 2020-10-01
• Subjects: Opioid -- polysubstance use -- latent profile analysis -- criminal justice; Narcotic habit -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Behavior, Addictive -- Periodicals; Sustance-Related Disorders -- Periodicals; 362.2905
• DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2020.1795683
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1082-6084

Abstract

Abstract: Aim: The current study explores pre-incarceration polysubstance use patterns among a justice-involved population who use opioids. Design: Setting : Data from prison and jail substance use programing in the state of Kentucky from 2015–2017 was examined. Participants : A cohort of 6, 569 individuals who reported both pre-incarceration use of opioids and reported the use of more than one substance per day. Measurements : To determine the different typologies of polysubstance use involving opioids, latent profile analysis of the pre-incarceration thirty-day drug use of eight substances was conducted. Multinomial logistic regression predicted latent profile membership. Findings : Six unique profiles of polysubstance use involving opioids and other substances were found; Primarily Alcohol (9.4%), Primarily Heroin (19.0%), Less Polysubstance Use (34.3%), Tranquilizer Polysubstance Use (16.3%), Primarily Buprenorphine (7.8%), and Stimulant-Opioid (13.2%). Profiles differed by rural/urban geography, injection drug use, physical, and mental health symptoms. Conclusion : Findings indicate the heterogeneity of opioid use among a justice-involved population. More diverse polysubstance patterns may serve as a proxy to identifying individuals with competing physical and mental health needs. Future interventions could be tailored to polysubstance patterns during the period of justice-involvement.