Age Group Differences Among Adults Seeking Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in Rehabilitation/Residential Settings in the United States.

OBJECTIVES

Important and underappreciated age group differences among opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment discharges from rehabilitation/residential settings in the United States may exist. We aimed to characterize these differences and compare correlates of treatment completion by age.

METHODS

Using data from the 2015-2019 Treatment Episode Dataset-Discharges (TEDS-D), we described and compared sociodemographic, treatment, and substance use characteristics across different age groups (18-29, 30-49, 50-54, 55-64, and 65+) of OUD treatment discharges from rehabilitation/residential settings. We used logistic regression to determine the age-stratified associations between these characteristics and treatment completion.

RESULTS

We found several age-group differences in demographic, treatment and substance use characteristics and correlates of treatment completion. Notably, discharges in the 55-64 group who were married (versus never married) had higher odds of treatment completion, whereas those in the 18-29 group who were married (versus never married) had lower odds of treatment completion. Among discharges in the 18-29, 30-49, and 50-54 groups, an older age at first opioid use (18-29) was associated with a higher odds of treatment completion compared to a younger age at first opioid use (under 18). Conversely, in the 55-64 group, an older age of first opioid use (30+ versus under 18) had a lower odds of treatment completion.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that there are distinct age differences among younger and older adult OUD treatment discharges from rehabilitation/residential settings in the US. Age-specific approaches should be developed and implemented to improve treatment for older adults.