Substance Use and Lifestyle-related Health Problems in Ageing Patients in OMT Treatment
Condition: Substance Use Disorders; Opioid Use Disorder; Tobacco Use; Health, Subjective; Mental Health Impairment
MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders; Opioid-Related Disorders
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      The overall aim of the study is to explore substance use, tobacco use and lifestyle-related
      health problems among ageing patients in Opioid Maintenance Treatment (OMT), and other SUD
      treatment.

      The study will use already collected data from the multi-center, longitudinal, observational
      NorComt study (Norwegian Cohort of Patients in Opioid Maintenance Treatment and Other Drug
      Treatment study).

      NorComt is the largest longitudinal study of SUD patients in Norway. The data consists of
      data from OMT and other substance use disorders (SUD) treatment (N=548).
    

Detailed description: 
      The overall aim of the study is to explore substance use, tobacco use and lifestyle-related
      health problems among ageing patients in Opioid Maintenance Treatment (OMT), and other SUD
      treatment.

      The study will use already collected data from the multi-center, longitudinal, observational
      NorComt (Norwegian Cohort of Patients in Opioid Maintenance Treatment and Other Drug
      Treatment) study.

      NorComt is the largest longitudinal study of SUD patients in Norway. The data consists of
      data from OMT and other substance use disorders (SUD) treatment (N=548).

      The present doctoral research degree project is financed by the Southern and Eastern Norway
      Regional Health Authority, and hosted by Sørlandet hospital in collaboration with the
      Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research (SERAF).

      Ethical approval for analysis of NorComt data and for the planned registry data linkages of
      NorComt data has been granted by the Norwegian Regional Ethics Committee (REK 2012/1131).
    

Intervention name(s): Substance use disorder treatment
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): The study followed a heterogenous sample of patients in opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) and other substance use disorder treatment. The main focus was on health related problems in this cohort, with focus on tobacco use and substance use.
Observational model: Cohort
Time perspective: Prospective
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Patients were included in the study from 21 participating treatment facilities across
        Norway, 14 were opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) outpatient centers, and 7 were inpatient
        centers (predominately non-OMT). Apart from an established opioid use disorder diagnosis
        there are no further criteria for entering OMT treatment, although generally substitution
        free treatment is recommended as a first option. In-patient SUD treatment represented in
        the present project typically has a duration of 6-9 months, primarily with non-OMT
        treatment in therapeutic community-like settings. Some patients would transfer to an
        outpatient treatment after completing in-patient treatment.