P33 Antibodies suggestive of immunity to hepatitis b and a are not detected in the majority of adolescents and young adults seeking medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder

Limited guidance on opioid use exists in the pediatric population, causing medication safety concerns for pain management in children and adolescents. Opioid misuse and use disorder continue to greatly affect adolescents and young adults in the United States, furthering the apprehension of their use. Pediatric Pharmacy Advocacy Group (PPAG) recommends pharmacists contribute their knowledge to pain management in children, including the discussion of appropriate use of non-opioid alternatives for pain and when to recommend coprescribing of naloxone. PPAG also supports the review of electronic prescription drug–monitoring programs prior to opioid prescribing and dispensing by both prescribers and pharmacists. Education by pharmacists of children and their families regarding proper administration, storage, and disposal, as well as the awareness of opioid misuse and use disorder among adolescents and young adults, is key to prevention. If opioid use disorder is diagnosed, PPAG encourages improved access among adolescents to evidence-based medications including methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. Furthermore, pharmacists should assist in screening and referral to evidence-based treatment.

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Adherence to and Retention in Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Among Adolescents and Young Adults

Epidemiologic Reviews ◽

10.1093/epirev/mxaa001 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Adam Viera ◽

Daniel J Bromberg ◽

Shannon Whittaker ◽

Bryan M Refsland ◽

Milena Stanojlović ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Opioid Use Disorder ◽

Adolescents And Young Adults ◽

Outcome Variable ◽

Opioid Use ◽

Younger Age ◽

Full Text Review ◽

The Individual ◽

Negative Health Outcomes

Abstract The volatile opioid epidemic is associated with higher levels of opioid use disorder (OUD) and negative health outcomes in adolescents and young adults. Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) demonstrate the best evidence for treating OUD. Adherence to and retention in MOUD, defined as continuous engagement in treatment, among adolescents and young adults, however, is incompletely understood. We examined the state of the literature regarding the association of age with adherence to and retention in MOUD using methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone among persons aged 10–24 years, along with related facilitators and barriers. All studies of MOUD were searched for that examined adherence, retention, or related concepts as an outcome variable and included adolescents or young adults. Search criteria generated 10,229 records; after removing duplicates and screening titles and abstracts, 587 studies were identified for full-text review. Ultimately, 52 articles met inclusion criteria for abstraction and 17 were selected for qualitative coding and analysis. Younger age was consistently associated with shorter retention, although the overall quality of included studies was low. Several factors at the individual, interpersonal, and institutional levels, such as concurrent substance use, MOUD adherence, family conflict, and MOUD dosage and flexibility, appeared to have roles in MOUD retention among adolescents and young adults. Ways MOUD providers can tailor treatment to increase retention of adolescents and young adults are highlighted, as is the need for more research explaining MOUD adherence and retention disparities in this age group.

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Medication-Assisted Treatment of Adolescents With Opioid Use Disorders

10.1542/9781610022798-use_disorders ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 105-108

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Young Adults ◽

Developmentally Appropriate ◽

Opioid Use Disorder ◽

Age Group ◽

Opioid Use ◽

Medication Assisted Treatment ◽

Appropriate Treatment ◽

Opioid Use Disorders ◽

New Treatments

Opioid use disorder is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among US youth. Effective treatments, both medications and substance use disorder counseling, are available but underused, and access to developmentally appropriate treatment is severely restricted for adolescents and young adults. Resources to disseminate available therapies and to develop new treatments specifically for this age group are needed to save and improve lives of youth with opioid addiction.

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