Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T10:36:03.088Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Differences in drug consumption, comorbidity and health service use of opioid addicts across six European urban regions (TREAT-project)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2020

V. Reissner ,
A. Kokkevi ,
F. Schifano ,
R. Room ,
J. Storbjörk ,
R. Stohler ,
L. DiFuria ,
J. Rehm ,
M. Geyer  and
F. Hölscher
...Show all authors
V. Reissner
Affiliation:
Addiction Research Group at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LVR Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr. 174, 45147Essen, Germany
A. Kokkevi
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University Mental Health Research Institute (UMHRI), Eginition Hospital, 74 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, Athens, Greece
F. Schifano
Affiliation:
School of Pharmacy, University of Hertfordshire, HatfieldAL10 9AB, United Kingdom
R. Room
Affiliation:
Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden School of Population Health, University of Melbourne; and AER Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, Turning Point Alcohol & Drug Centre, 54-62 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, Victoria, 3065, Australia
J. Storbjörk
Affiliation:
Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs, Stockholm University, Sveaplan, 10691Stockholm, Sweden
R. Stohler
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Zurich (PUK), Selnaustrasse 9, 8002Zurich, Switzerland
L. DiFuria
Affiliation:
Servizio per le Tossicodipendenze 1, Sert no. 1, Via Dei Colli 4, 35100Padova, Italy
J. Rehm
Affiliation:
ISGF Addiction and Health Research Institute, Konradstrasse 32, 8031Zurich, Switzerland
M. Geyer
Affiliation:
Addiction Research Group at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LVR-Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr. 174, 45147Essen, Germany
F. Hölscher
Affiliation:
Addiction Research Group at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LVR-Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr. 174, 45147Essen, Germany
N. Scherbaum*
Affiliation:
Addiction Research Group at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LVR-Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr. 174, 45147Essen, Germany
*
*Corresponding author. Tel.: +0201 7227 180; fax: +0201 7227 254. E-mail address: norbert.scherbaum@uni-due.de (N. Scherbaum).
Get access

Abstract

Objectives

This comparative study investigated consumption patterns, comorbidity and treatment utilization of opioid addicts in six European cities (Athens, Essen, London, Padua, Stockholm, Zurich).

Subjects and methods

Data were collected by structured face-to-face interviews. The representative sample comprises 599 addicts (100 patients per centre, 99 in London) at the start of a treatment episode.

Results

Patients were dependent on opioids for about 10 years. Regional differences were significant regarding the patients’ drug consumption pattern and their method of heroin administration (up to a fourth of the patients in Essen, London and Zurich usually smoke heroin). Concomitant use of benzodiazepines, cannabis and alcohol was common in all regions with the German and English samples showing the highest level of polydrug use. The prevalence of major depression was high in all regions (50%). Stockholm and London patients worry most about their physical health. Differences in the amount of needle sharing and especially in the use of public health service were prominent between the sites. Opioid addiction was a long-term disorder associated with a high burden of comorbidity and social problems in all cities.

Conclusion

The results of the study show significant interregional differences of opioid addicts which might require different treatment strategies in European countries to handle the problem.

Keywords

Opioid addictionConsumption patternsComorbidityHealth service useEuropeTREAT
Type
Original articles
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 27 , Issue 6 , August 2012 , pp. 455 - 462
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anglin, M.D., Hser, Y.I., McGlothlin, W.H.Sex differences in addict careers. 2. Becoming addicted. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 1987; 3: 59–71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benninghoff, F., Morency, P., Geense, R., Huissoud, T., Dubois-Arber, F.Health trends among drug users attending needle exchange programmes in Switzerland (1994–2000). AIDS Care. 2006; 18: 371–375.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beswick, R., Best, D., Rees, S., Coomber, R., Gossop, M., Strang, J.Multiple drug use: patterns and practices of heroin and crack use in a population of opiate addicts in treatment. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2001; 20: 201–204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chwastiak, L.A., von Korff, M.Disability in depression and back pain: evaluation of the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO-DAS-II) in a primary care setting. J Clin Epidemiol. 2003; 56: 507–514.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Annual Report. Lisbon: EMCDDA; 2008.Google Scholar
Ferrero, A., Piero, A., Fassina, S., Massola, T., Lanteri, A., Daga, G.A.et al.A 12-month comparison of brief psychodynamic psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy treatment in subjects with generalised anxiety disorders in a community setting. Eur Psychiatry. 2007; 22: 530–539.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fischer, B., Rehm, J., Brissette, S., Brochu, S., Bruneau, J., El-Guebaly, N.et al.Illicit opioid use in Canada: comparing social, health, and drug use characteristics of untreated users in five cities (OPICAN study). J Urb Health. 2005; 82: 250–266.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gossop, M., Marsden, J., Stewart, D., Lehmann, P., Strang, J.Methadone treatment practices and outcome for opiate addicts treated in drug clinics and in general practice: results from the National Treatment Outcome Research Study. Br J Gen Pract. 1999; 49: 31–34.Google ScholarPubMed
Judd, A., Hutchinson, S., Wadd, S., Hickmann, M., Taylor, A., Jones, S.et al.Prevalence of and risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection among recent initiates to injecting in London and Glasgow: cross sectional analysis. J Viral Hepat. 2005; 12: 655–662.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kidorf, M., Disney, E.R., King, V.L., Neufeld, K., Beilenson, P.L., Brooner, R.K.Prevalence of psychiatric and substance use disorders in opioid abusers in a community syringe exchange program. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2004; 74: 115–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Klingemann, H., Hunt, G.Drug treatment systems in an international perspective. Drugs, demons and delinquents. Thousand Oaks: Sage; 1998.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kokkevi, A., Hartgers, C.Europ-AS.I. European Adaptation of a Multidimensional Assessment Instrument. Drug Alcohol Depend. 1995; 1: 208–210.Google Scholar
Luthar, S.S., Cushing, G., Rounsaville, B.J.Gender differences among opioid abusers: pathways to disorder and profiles of psychopathology. Drug Alcohol Depend. 1996; 43: 179–189.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Noel, L., Fischer, B., Tyndall, M.W., Bradet, D.R., Rehm, J., Brissette, S.et al.Health and social services accessed by a cohort of Canadian illicit opioid users outside of treatment. Can J Public Health. 2006; 97: 166–170.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nordt, C., Stohler, R.Incidence of heroin use in Zurich, Switzerland: a treatment case register analysis. Lancet. 2006; 367: 1830–1834.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nordt, C., Landolt, K., Stohler, R.Estimating incidence trends in regular heroin use in 26 regions of Switzerland using methadone treatment data. Subst AbuseTreat Prev Policy. 2009; 4: 14–22.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Penka, S., Heimann, H., Heinz, A., Schouler-Ocak, M.Explanatory models of addictive behaviour among native German, Russian-German, and Turkish youth. Eur Psychiatry. 23 suppl. 1: 2008 36–42.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rao, S.R., Broome, K.M., Simpson, D.D.Depression and hostility as predictors of long-term outcomes among opiate users. Addiction. 2004; 99: 579–589.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Room, R., Janca, A., Bennett, L.A., Schmidt, L., Sartorius, N.WHO cross-cultural applicability research on diagnosis and assessment of substance use disorders: an overview of methods and selected results. Addiction. 1996; 91: 221–230.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Room, R., Palm, J., Romelsjö, A., Stenius, K., Storbjörk, J.Woman and men in Swedish addiction treatment: a description of a study in Stockholm County. Nordisk Alkohol Och Narkotikatidskrift. 2003; 20: 91–112.Google Scholar
Roy, K., Hay, G., Andragetti, R., Taylor, A., Goldberg, D., Wiessing, L.Monitoring hepatitis C virus infection among injecting drug users in the European Union: a review of the literature. Epidemiol Infect. 2002; 129: 577–585.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Teesson, M., Mills, K., Ross, J., Darke, S., Williamson, A., Havard, A.The impact of treatment on 3 years’ outcome for heroin dependence: findings from the Australian Treatment Outcome Study (ATOS). Addiction. 2008; 103: 80–88.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vertheim, U., Degkwitz, P., Haasen, C., Krausz, M.Significance of Comorbidity for the long-term course of opiate dependence. European Addiction Research. 2005; 11: 15–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wild, C., el-Guebaly, N., Fischer, B., Brissette, S., Brochu, S., Bruneau, J.et al.Comorbid depression among untreated illicit opiate users: results from a multisite Canadian study. Can J Psychiatry. 2005; 50: 512–518.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
World Health Organisation. Psychiatric Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO-DAS-I) with a guide to its use. Geneva: World Health Organisation; 1988.Google Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.