TY - JOUR
KW - Adult
KW - Age Factors
KW - Aged
KW - Ambulatory Care
KW - Cohort Studies
KW - Employment
KW - Female
KW - Health Status
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Mental Disorders/psychology
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Opioid-Related Disorders/physiopathology/psychology/therapy
KW - Severity of Illness Index
KW - Substance Abuse Treatment Centers
AU - M. R. Lofwall
AU - R. K. Brooner
AU - G. E. Bigelow
AU - K. Kindbom
AU - E. C. Strain
A1 - 
AB - The aging "baby boomer" population has higher rates of substance use than previous cohorts and is predicted to put increased demands on substance abuse treatment services; however, little is known about older illicit drug abusers. This study compared 41 older (age 50-66 years) and 26 younger (age 25-34 years) opioid maintenance patients on psychiatric, substance use, medical, general health, demographic, and psychosocial characteristics using standardized instruments. The health of both groups was compared to age and sex-matched U.S. population norms. Both groups had high rates of lifetime psychiatric and substance abuse/dependence diagnoses, and poor general health compared to population norms. The older group began using illicit substances significantly later in life, and had significantly more medical problems and worse general health than the younger group. The inevitable increasing medical morbidity and physical limitations of an increasingly large older population with substance use problems will challenge treatment providers and planners. Low rates of positive urine opioid tests occurred for both older and younger patients without age-specific services.
BT - Journal of substance abuse treatment
C5 - Opioids & Substance Use; Healthcare Disparities
CP - 3
CY - United States
IS - 3
JF - Journal of substance abuse treatment
N2 - The aging "baby boomer" population has higher rates of substance use than previous cohorts and is predicted to put increased demands on substance abuse treatment services; however, little is known about older illicit drug abusers. This study compared 41 older (age 50-66 years) and 26 younger (age 25-34 years) opioid maintenance patients on psychiatric, substance use, medical, general health, demographic, and psychosocial characteristics using standardized instruments. The health of both groups was compared to age and sex-matched U.S. population norms. Both groups had high rates of lifetime psychiatric and substance abuse/dependence diagnoses, and poor general health compared to population norms. The older group began using illicit substances significantly later in life, and had significantly more medical problems and worse general health than the younger group. The inevitable increasing medical morbidity and physical limitations of an increasingly large older population with substance use problems will challenge treatment providers and planners. Low rates of positive urine opioid tests occurred for both older and younger patients without age-specific services.
PP - United States
PY - 2005
SN - 0740-5472; 0740-5472
SP - 265
EP - 272
EP - 
T1 - Characteristics of older opioid maintenance patients
T2 - Journal of substance abuse treatment
TI - Characteristics of older opioid maintenance patients
U1 - Opioids & Substance Use; Healthcare Disparities
U2 - 15857727
VL - 28
VO - 0740-5472; 0740-5472
Y1 - 2005
ER -