TY - JOUR
KW - Adult
KW - Analgesics, Opioid/administration & dosage/adverse effects
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Illicit Drugs/adverse effects
KW - Male
KW - opioid epidemic
KW - Opioid-Related Disorders/epidemiology
KW - Prescription Drugs/adverse effects
KW - Public Health
KW - Surveys and Questionnaires
KW - United States/epidemiology
AU - T. J. Cicero
AU - M. S. Ellis
AU - Z. A. Kasper
A1 - 
AB - Objectives. To understand important changes in co-occurring opioid and nonopioid drug use (i.e., polysubstance use) within the opioid epidemic in the United States.Methods. We analyzed survey data on the past month co-use of prescription and illicit opioids and 12 nonopioid psychoactive drug classes from a national sample of 15 741 persons entering treatment of opioid use disorder.Results. Past-month illicit opioid use increased from 44.8% in 2011 to 70.1% in 2018, while the use of prescription opioids alone dropped from 55.2% to 29.9%, yet overall remained high (94.5% to 85.2%). Past-month use of at least 1 nonopioid drug occurred in nearly all participants (> 90%), with significant increases in methamphetamine (+85%) and decreases across nonopioid prescription drug classes (range: -40% to -68%).Conclusions. Viewing opioid trends in a "silo" ignores the fact not only that polysubstance use is ubiquitous among those with opioid use disorder but also that significant changes in polysubstance use should be monitored alongside opioid trends.Public Health Implications. Treatment, prevention, and policymaking must address not only the supply and demand of a singular drug class but also the global nature of substance use overall.
AD - All of the authors are with Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO.; All of the authors are with Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO.; All of the authors are with Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO.
BT - American Journal of Public Health
C5 - Opioids & Substance Use
CP - 2
DO - 10.2105/AJPH.2019.305412
IS - 2
JF - American Journal of Public Health
LA - eng
M1 - Journal Article
N2 - Objectives. To understand important changes in co-occurring opioid and nonopioid drug use (i.e., polysubstance use) within the opioid epidemic in the United States.Methods. We analyzed survey data on the past month co-use of prescription and illicit opioids and 12 nonopioid psychoactive drug classes from a national sample of 15 741 persons entering treatment of opioid use disorder.Results. Past-month illicit opioid use increased from 44.8% in 2011 to 70.1% in 2018, while the use of prescription opioids alone dropped from 55.2% to 29.9%, yet overall remained high (94.5% to 85.2%). Past-month use of at least 1 nonopioid drug occurred in nearly all participants (> 90%), with significant increases in methamphetamine (+85%) and decreases across nonopioid prescription drug classes (range: -40% to -68%).Conclusions. Viewing opioid trends in a "silo" ignores the fact not only that polysubstance use is ubiquitous among those with opioid use disorder but also that significant changes in polysubstance use should be monitored alongside opioid trends.Public Health Implications. Treatment, prevention, and policymaking must address not only the supply and demand of a singular drug class but also the global nature of substance use overall.
PY - 2020
SN - 1541-0048; 0090-0036; 0090-0036
SP - 244
EP - 250
EP - 
T1 - Polysubstance Use: A Broader Understanding of Substance Use During the Opioid Crisis
T2 - American Journal of Public Health
TI - Polysubstance Use: A Broader Understanding of Substance Use During the Opioid Crisis
U1 - Opioids & Substance Use
U2 - 31855487
U3 - 10.2105/AJPH.2019.305412
VL - 110
VO - 1541-0048; 0090-0036; 0090-0036
Y1 - 2020
Y2 - Feb
ER -