Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Real-World Practice: Outcomes From a Longitudinal Study of Individuals With Opioid Use Disorder

The session will share study results that show how different types of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment and patient characteristics may impact the likelihood of illicit opioids use and overdose. Treatment providers can use evidence from this study to tailor interventions that are associated with better patient outcomes.

Previous research established the efficacy of MOUD in controlled trials; less is known about the effectiveness of MOUD in real-world clinical settings, and barriers/facilitators to abstinence. Researchers conducted an 18-month longitudinal study that included 62 outpatient sites across 16 U.S. states, offering 4 different types of OUD treatment (buprenorphine, methadone, naltrexone, and counseling without MOUD). Adult patients (n=1,974) completed up to five surveys, regardless of continued treatment. Information was collected on treatment, social support, adverse childhood events (ACES), substance use, and nonfatal overdoses. Providers also reported on their clients’ treatment histories. The study results demonstrate that methadone and buprenorphine are highly effective in real-world settings and quantify the magnitude of the effect. Individuals with ACES or low social support had lower odds of abstinence, offering potential targets for interventions.