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Physical pain is common and associated with nonmedical prescription opioid use among people who inject drugs

Dahlman, Disa LU ; Kral, Alex H ; Wenger, Lynn ; Hakansson, Anders LU and Novak, Scott P. (2017) In Substance Abuse: Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 12(1). p.1-11
Abstract

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) often have poor health and lack access to health care. The aim of this study was to examine whether PWID engage in self-treatment through nonmedical prescription opioid use (NMPOU). We describe the prevalence and features of self-reported physical pain and its association with NMPOU. Methods: PWID (N = 702) in San Francisco, California (age 18+) were recruited to complete interviewer administered surveys between 2011 and 2013. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the associations among self-reported pain dimensions (past 24-h average pain, pain interference with functional domains) and NMPOU, controlling for age, sex, psychiatric illness, opioid substitution... (More)

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) often have poor health and lack access to health care. The aim of this study was to examine whether PWID engage in self-treatment through nonmedical prescription opioid use (NMPOU). We describe the prevalence and features of self-reported physical pain and its association with NMPOU. Methods: PWID (N = 702) in San Francisco, California (age 18+) were recruited to complete interviewer administered surveys between 2011 and 2013. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the associations among self-reported pain dimensions (past 24-h average pain, pain interference with functional domains) and NMPOU, controlling for age, sex, psychiatric illness, opioid substitution treatment, homelessness, street heroin use and unmet healthcare needs. Results: Almost half of the sample reported pain, based on self-reported measures in the 24 h before their interview. The most common pain locations were to their back and lower extremities. Past 24-h NMPOU was common (14.7%) and associated with past 24 h average pain intensity on a 10 point self-rating scale (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21-3.80), and past 24 h pain interference with general activity (AOR 1.82 [95% CI 1.04-3.21]), walking ability (AOR 2.52 [95% CI 1.37-4.63]), physical ability (AOR 2.01 [95% CI 1.16-3.45]), sleep (AOR 1.98 [95% CI 1.13-3.48]) and enjoyment of life (AOR 1.79 [95% CI 1.02-3.15]). Conclusion: Both pain and NMPOU are common among PWID, and highly correlated in this study. These findings suggest that greater efforts are needed to direct preventive health and services toward this population.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Nonmedical use of prescription drugs, Opioids, Pain reliever, People who inject drugs, Physical pain
in
Substance Abuse: Treatment, Prevention, and Policy
volume
12
issue
1
article number
29
pages
1 - 11
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85019730405
  • pmid:28558841
  • wos:000403190400002
ISSN
1747-597X
DOI
10.1186/s13011-017-0112-7
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
15fa7aa7-0958-4d4b-8696-15224d838fb6
date added to LUP
2017-06-21 14:29:55
date last changed
2024-05-12 16:02:24
@article{15fa7aa7-0958-4d4b-8696-15224d838fb6,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) often have poor health and lack access to health care. The aim of this study was to examine whether PWID engage in self-treatment through nonmedical prescription opioid use (NMPOU). We describe the prevalence and features of self-reported physical pain and its association with NMPOU. Methods: PWID (N = 702) in San Francisco, California (age 18+) were recruited to complete interviewer administered surveys between 2011 and 2013. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the associations among self-reported pain dimensions (past 24-h average pain, pain interference with functional domains) and NMPOU, controlling for age, sex, psychiatric illness, opioid substitution treatment, homelessness, street heroin use and unmet healthcare needs. Results: Almost half of the sample reported pain, based on self-reported measures in the 24 h before their interview. The most common pain locations were to their back and lower extremities. Past 24-h NMPOU was common (14.7%) and associated with past 24 h average pain intensity on a 10 point self-rating scale (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21-3.80), and past 24 h pain interference with general activity (AOR 1.82 [95% CI 1.04-3.21]), walking ability (AOR 2.52 [95% CI 1.37-4.63]), physical ability (AOR 2.01 [95% CI 1.16-3.45]), sleep (AOR 1.98 [95% CI 1.13-3.48]) and enjoyment of life (AOR 1.79 [95% CI 1.02-3.15]). Conclusion: Both pain and NMPOU are common among PWID, and highly correlated in this study. These findings suggest that greater efforts are needed to direct preventive health and services toward this population.</p>}},
  author       = {{Dahlman, Disa and Kral, Alex H and Wenger, Lynn and Hakansson, Anders and Novak, Scott P.}},
  issn         = {{1747-597X}},
  keywords     = {{Nonmedical use of prescription drugs; Opioids; Pain reliever; People who inject drugs; Physical pain}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{1--11}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{Substance Abuse: Treatment, Prevention, and Policy}},
  title        = {{Physical pain is common and associated with nonmedical prescription opioid use among people who inject drugs}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13011-017-0112-7}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/s13011-017-0112-7}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}