Nadine Harker1, Warren Covelé Lucas2, Ria Laubscher3, Siphokazi Dada2, Bronwyn Myers4, Charles Dh Parry5. 1. Alcohol Tobacco & Other Drug Research Unit, Medical Research Council, South Africa; School of Public Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: nadine.harker@mrc.ac.za. 2. Alcohol Tobacco & Other Drug Research Unit, Medical Research Council, South Africa. 3. Biostatistics Unit, Medical Research Council, South Africa. 4. Alcohol Tobacco & Other Drug Research Unit, Medical Research Council, South Africa; Division of Addiction Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry & Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa. 5. Alcohol Tobacco & Other Drug Research Unit, Medical Research Council, South Africa; Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: South Africa has seen a sharp increase in treatment admission trends for opioids despite beliefs that rates of opioid use remain low and do not represent a major problem. To advocate for the extension of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) treatment and harm minimisation services in South Africa, better estimates of the extent of opioid use is needed. This paper responds to this need by describing (i) trends in treatment utilization for opioid-related problems in South Africa and (ii) differences in the profile of patients accessing treatment for different classes of opioids - heroin, 'nyaope' and codeine use. METHODS: Data were collected from 83 specialist treatment centres participating in the South African Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use between 2012 and 2017. Descriptive analyses were conducted to describe the sociodemographic profile of patients and multiple logistic regression was used to explore socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with admission to treatment for opioid use disorders (OUD) . RESULTS: From January 2012 to December 2017, data from 11 2032 treatment episodes were collated. Of these, 20 319 (18.1%) were from patients admitted for an OUD. Over time, the proportion of overall opioid-related admissions increased significantly from 16.1% of all admissions in 2012 to 20.0% in 2017 (p <0.001). Data also suggests a significant increase in the overall proportion of patients reporting injection drug use, from 1.6% in 2013 to 3.5% in 2017 (p <0.001). Clear differences in employment status, referral sources between classes of opioids were also noted. CONCLUSION: Over the last 5 years, South Africa has seen an increase in the proportion of opioid related disorders (OUD) treatment admissions. Public health interventions, evidence-based harm reduction approaches and improving access to treatment are among the interventions urgently needed to reduce the harms associated with the increased use of opioids in South Africa.
INTRODUCTION: South Africa has seen a sharp increase in treatment admission trends for opioids despite beliefs that rates of opioid use remain low and do not represent a major problem. To advocate for the extension of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) treatment and harm minimisation services in South Africa, better estimates of the extent of opioid use is needed. This paper responds to this need by describing (i) trends in treatment utilization for opioid-related problems in South Africa and (ii) differences in the profile of patients accessing treatment for different classes of opioids - heroin, 'nyaope' and codeine use. METHODS: Data were collected from 83 specialist treatment centres participating in the South African Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use between 2012 and 2017. Descriptive analyses were conducted to describe the sociodemographic profile of patients and multiple logistic regression was used to explore socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with admission to treatment for opioid use disorders (OUD) . RESULTS: From January 2012 to December 2017, data from 11 2032 treatment episodes were collated. Of these, 20 319 (18.1%) were from patients admitted for an OUD. Over time, the proportion of overall opioid-related admissions increased significantly from 16.1% of all admissions in 2012 to 20.0% in 2017 (p <0.001). Data also suggests a significant increase in the overall proportion of patients reporting injection drug use, from 1.6% in 2013 to 3.5% in 2017 (p <0.001). Clear differences in employment status, referral sources between classes of opioids were also noted. CONCLUSION: Over the last 5 years, South Africa has seen an increase in the proportion of opioid related disorders (OUD) treatment admissions. Public health interventions, evidence-based harm reduction approaches and improving access to treatment are among the interventions urgently needed to reduce the harms associated with the increased use of opioids in South Africa.
Authors: Emmanuel Peprah; Bronwyn Myers; Andre-Pascal Kengne; Nasheeta Peer; Omar El-Shahawy; Temitope Ojo; Barbara Mukasa; Oliver Ezechi; Juliet Iwelunmor; Nessa Ryan; Fatoumata Sakho; John Patena; Joyce Gyamfi Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-01-19 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Tara Carney; Jennifer A Rooney; Nandi Niemand; Bronwyn Myers; Danie Theron; Robin Wood; Laura F White; Christina S Meade; Novel N Chegou; Elizabeth Ragan; Gerhard Walzl; Robert Horsburgh; Robin M Warren; Karen R Jacobson Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-02-15 Impact factor: 3.752