Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addictions, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2010 Jun 1;109(1-3):257-60. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.02.001. Epub 2010 Mar 1.
North America is the region with the world's highest prescription opioid (PO) use. Non-medical use of prescription opioids and PO-related morbidity and mortality have strongly increased in the US in recent years. It is assumed that similar trends are occurring in Canada, but there is less empirical evidence to support this. Treatment demand for problematic PO use is an important indicator of PO-related morbidity.
Levels and changes related to the caseload of PO-related treatment admissions were assessed using system-level data from the Drug and Alcohol Treatment Information System (DATIS), the reporting system for publicly funded addiction treatment services in the province of Ontario (Canada) for the period April 2004-March 2009 (n=500,217). In addition, basic socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of PO-related treatment admissions in the final year of study (n=10,125) were examined.
The number of PO-related treatment admissions in DATIS rose by 60%, and their prevalence in the total caseload increased from 9.4% to 15.7% in the study period. Three-quarters of PO-clients reported other problem substances; the most common co-occurring problem substance was cocaine/crack. The majority of PO-clients were <35 years of age, unemployed, and referred to treatment by others.
Demand for treatment for problematic PO use has risen substantially in Ontario in the past five years in the wider context of substantially increased overall PO use and related harms in Canada. The interaction dynamics between these different indicators need to be systematically examined and monitored as the basis for evidence-based interventions.
北美是世界上处方类阿片（PO）使用量最高的地区。近年来，美国非医疗用途的处方类阿片和与 PO 相关的发病率和死亡率大幅上升。据推测，加拿大也出现了类似的趋势，但实证证据较少。对有问题的 PO 使用进行治疗的需求是 PO 相关发病率的一个重要指标。
使用来自安大略省（加拿大）公共资助成瘾治疗服务报告系统——药物和酒精治疗信息系统（DATIS）的系统水平数据，评估与 PO 相关治疗入院人数相关的水平和变化，研究期间为 2004 年 4 月至 2009 年 3 月（n=500,217）。此外，还检查了研究最后一年 PO 相关治疗入院的基本社会人口学和临床特征（n=10,125）。
DATIS 中 PO 相关治疗入院人数增加了 60%，其在总病例数中的比例从研究期间的 9.4%上升到 15.7%。四分之三的 PO 患者报告有其他问题物质；最常见的共同存在的问题物质是可卡因/快克。大多数 PO 患者年龄<35 岁，失业，由他人介绍接受治疗。
在加拿大总体 PO 使用量和相关危害大幅增加的背景下，安大略省过去五年中对有问题的 PO 使用进行治疗的需求大幅上升。这些不同指标之间的相互作用动态需要系统地检查和监测，作为循证干预的基础。
