TY - JOUR AU - M. Haddad AU - E. Coman AU - L. Bifulco A1 - AB - BACKGROUND: Prescribing medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in primary care helps meet treatment demand, but few studies examine long-term treatment retention among medically-underserved primary care patients. METHODS: This 9-year retrospective study assessed overall retention at 6 months, and yearly up to 9 years, among 1451 patients with at least 6 months of buprenorphine prescription data from a federally-qualified health center (FQHC). We also examined whether patients who had gaps in treatment (>14 days without medication) later returned to care. Associations with treatment retention over total time in care were assessed. RESULTS: On average, patients received buprenorphine treatment for 2.26 years. Among patients who experienced gaps in treatment but returned to care within 90 days, 64% were still receiving buprenorphine at six months (n=930 of 1451), and 70% (n =118 of 169) at 9 years, with an average yearly interval retention of 69% (range: 58-74%). Patients were on MOUD treatment and not in a gap about 81% of the time, and averaged 1.0 gap per patient per year (SD: 1.09; range 0-7.87). The mean gap length over the treatment period was 33.16 days. Older age, higher percentages of negative opioid tests, negative cocaine tests, and positive buprenorphine tests, and having diabetes were associated with longer treatment retention. CONCLUSIONS: Opioid use disorder (OUD) can be treated successfully in primary care FQHCs. Treatment gaps are common and reflect the chronic relapsing nature of OUD. AD - Center for Key Populations, Community Health Center, Inc., 631 Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457, USA; Weitzman Institute, Moses-Weitzman Health System, 19 Grand Street, Middletown, CT 06457, USA. Electronic address: haddadm@chc1.com.; Health Disparities Institute, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Hartford, CT 06106, USA.; Weitzman Institute, Moses-Weitzman Health System, 19 Grand Street, Middletown, CT 06457, USA. AN - 38484404 BT - Drug Alcohol Depend C5 - Opioids & Substance Use; Financing & Sustainability DA - Mar 2 DO - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111252 DP - NLM ET - 20240302 JF - Drug Alcohol Depend LA - eng N2 - BACKGROUND: Prescribing medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in primary care helps meet treatment demand, but few studies examine long-term treatment retention among medically-underserved primary care patients. METHODS: This 9-year retrospective study assessed overall retention at 6 months, and yearly up to 9 years, among 1451 patients with at least 6 months of buprenorphine prescription data from a federally-qualified health center (FQHC). We also examined whether patients who had gaps in treatment (>14 days without medication) later returned to care. Associations with treatment retention over total time in care were assessed. RESULTS: On average, patients received buprenorphine treatment for 2.26 years. Among patients who experienced gaps in treatment but returned to care within 90 days, 64% were still receiving buprenorphine at six months (n=930 of 1451), and 70% (n =118 of 169) at 9 years, with an average yearly interval retention of 69% (range: 58-74%). Patients were on MOUD treatment and not in a gap about 81% of the time, and averaged 1.0 gap per patient per year (SD: 1.09; range 0-7.87). The mean gap length over the treatment period was 33.16 days. Older age, higher percentages of negative opioid tests, negative cocaine tests, and positive buprenorphine tests, and having diabetes were associated with longer treatment retention. CONCLUSIONS: Opioid use disorder (OUD) can be treated successfully in primary care FQHCs. Treatment gaps are common and reflect the chronic relapsing nature of OUD. PY - 2024 SN - 0376-8716 SP - 111252 ST - Nine-year substance use treatment outcomes with buprenorphine for opioid use disorder in a federally qualified health center T1 - Nine-year substance use treatment outcomes with buprenorphine for opioid use disorder in a federally qualified health center T2 - Drug Alcohol Depend TI - Nine-year substance use treatment outcomes with buprenorphine for opioid use disorder in a federally qualified health center U1 - Opioids & Substance Use; Financing & Sustainability U3 - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111252 VL - 257 VO - 0376-8716 Y1 - 2024 ER -