Andrea K Finlay1,2, Erica Morse3, Matthew Stimmel4, Emmeline Taylor5,6, Christine Timko5,7, Alex H S Harris5,8, David Smelson9, Mengfei Yu5, Jessica Blue-Howells4, Ingrid A Binswanger3,10,11. 1. Center for Innovation to Implementation (Ci2i), VA Palo Alto Health Care System, 795 Road (MPD-152), Menlo Park, Willow, CA, 94025, USA. Andrea.Finlay@va.gov. 2. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, 795 Willow Road, Menlo Park, 94025, USA. Andrea.Finlay@va.gov. 3. Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Denver, USA. 4. Veterans Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, , Menlo Park, USA. 5. Center for Innovation to Implementation (Ci2i), VA Palo Alto Health Care System, 795 Road (MPD-152), Menlo Park, Willow, CA, 94025, USA. 6. Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, USA. 7. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, USA. 8. Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, USA. 9. Center for Organization and Implementation Science, Edith Nourse Rogers VA Medical Center, Bedford, USA. 10. Colorado Permanente Medical Group, Denver, USA. 11. Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Veterans involved in the legal system are at high risk for overdose but have lower receipt of medications for opioid use disorder than other veterans. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to understand barriers to medication access from the perspective of legally involved veterans with opioid use disorder and people who work with these veterans in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the legal system. DESIGN: This national qualitative study interviewed veterans and stakeholders from 14 geographically diverse VHA facilities to explore perceptions of barriers to medications for opioid use disorder. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included veterans with a history of opioid use disorder and legal involvement (n = 18), VHA Veterans Justice Programs Specialists (n = 15), VHA and community substance use disorder treatment providers (n = 5), and criminal justice staff (n = 12). APPROACH: We conducted interviews based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a team-based approach. KEY RESULTS: Four key barriers, noted by group, were identified: (1) a preference for counseling along with or instead of medications (veterans, Specialists, treatment providers, criminal justice staff); (2) concerns about veterans using medications without a prescription, selling them, or providing them to others (veterans, Specialists, treatment providers, criminal justice staff); (3) concerns about perceived stigma towards medication use (veterans, Specialists, treatment providers, criminal justice staff); and (4) concerns about medication discontinuation after recurrent opioid use (veterans, criminal justice staff). A fifth theme, education, was noted by all stakeholders except providers as important to facilitating use of medications for opioid use disorder. All five themes mapped to the framework construct of knowledge and beliefs about the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Based on identified barriers, interventions focused on enhancing medication knowledge, reducing stigma towards use of medications, and increasing knowledge that opioid use may recur during treatment may help increase access to medication for veterans with legal involvement.
BACKGROUND: Veterans involved in the legal system are at high risk for overdose but have lower receipt of medications for opioid use disorder than other veterans. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to understand barriers to medication access from the perspective of legally involved veterans with opioid use disorder and people who work with these veterans in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the legal system. DESIGN: This national qualitative study interviewed veterans and stakeholders from 14 geographically diverse VHA facilities to explore perceptions of barriers to medications for opioid use disorder. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included veterans with a history of opioid use disorder and legal involvement (n = 18), VHA Veterans Justice Programs Specialists (n = 15), VHA and community substance use disorder treatment providers (n = 5), and criminal justice staff (n = 12). APPROACH: We conducted interviews based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a team-based approach. KEY RESULTS: Four key barriers, noted by group, were identified: (1) a preference for counseling along with or instead of medications (veterans, Specialists, treatment providers, criminal justice staff); (2) concerns about veterans using medications without a prescription, selling them, or providing them to others (veterans, Specialists, treatment providers, criminal justice staff); (3) concerns about perceived stigma towards medication use (veterans, Specialists, treatment providers, criminal justice staff); and (4) concerns about medication discontinuation after recurrent opioid use (veterans, criminal justice staff). A fifth theme, education, was noted by all stakeholders except providers as important to facilitating use of medications for opioid use disorder. All five themes mapped to the framework construct of knowledge and beliefs about the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Based on identified barriers, interventions focused on enhancing medication knowledge, reducing stigma towards use of medications, and increasing knowledge that opioid use may recur during treatment may help increase access to medication for veterans with legal involvement.
Authors: Andrea K Finlay; Jessie J Wong; Laura S Ellerbe; Anna Rubinsky; Shalini Gupta; Thomas R Bowe; Eric M Schmidt; Christine Timko; Jennifer L Burden; Alex H S Harris Journal: J Stud Alcohol Drugs Date: 2018-11 Impact factor: 2.582
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Authors: Andrea K Finlay; Ingrid A Binswanger; Christine Timko; David Smelson; Matthew A Stimmel; Mengfei Yu; Tom Bowe; Alex H S Harris Journal: J Subst Abuse Treat Date: 2018-10-02
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