Buprenorphine for Prisoners
Condition: Heroin Addiction
MeSH terms: Heroin Dependence
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 3

Summary: 
      This five-year study examines the effectiveness of buprenorphine treatment provided to
      previously-addicted inmates(N=320; 160 males, 160 females) initiated in prison and continued
      in the community. The study also examines the extent to which the setting of post-release
      buprenorphine is provided.It is expected that participants receiving in-prison buprenorphine
      will have superior outcomes compared to participants who did not receive in-prison
      buprenorphine.
    

Detailed description: 
      Participants will be randomly assigned, within gender, to one of four treatment conditions:
      1) buprenorphine and counseling in prison, with referral for continued treatment at an OTP
      upon release; 2) buprenorphine and counseling in prison, with referral for continued
      treatment at a CHC upon release; 3) counseling only in prison, with referral for
      buprenorphine and counseling at a OTP upon release; and 4) counseling only in prison, with
      referral for buprenorphine and counseling at a CHC upon release. Participants will be
      assessed at study entry and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months following their release from prison.
      Outcome measures include: treatment entry and retention in the community, heroin use, cocaine
      use, HIV infection, HIV-risk behaviors, criminal activity, and employment.
    

Intervention name(s): Buprenorphine +OTP; Buprenorphine +CHC; Counseling +OTP; Counseling +CHC
Intervention type(s): Drug; Drug; Drug; Drug
Intervention description(s): Buprenorphine thrice weekly and counseling for four months while in pre-release prison, with referral for continued treatment at an opioid agonist treatment (OTP) program upon release. Such treatment lasts for 1 year in the community. Buprenorphine dosage, following an induction period,is 32 mg Mondays and Wednesdays and 48 mg Fridays; Buprenorphine thrice weekly and counseling provided in pre-release prison for 4 months, with referral for continued treatment for 1 year in the community at a community health center (CHC). Following an induction period, buprenorphine dosing will be 32 mg on Mondays and Wednesdays and 48 mg on Fridays.; Counseling only for 4 months in pre-release prison, with referral upon release for buprenorphine treatment and counseling at an opioid agonist treatment program to last for 1 year. Following an induction period, buprenorphine dosing will be thrice weekly, with 32 mg on Mondays and Wednesdays and 48 mg on Fridays.; Counseling only for 4 months in pre-release prison, with referral upon release for buprenorphine treatment and counseling at a community health center to last for 1 year. Following an induction period, buprenorphine dosing will be thrice weekly, with 32 mg on Mondays and Wednesdays and 48 mg on Fridays.
Other intervention name(s): Suboxone; Suboxone; Suboxone; Suboxone
Intervention MeSH terms: Buprenorphine; Buprenorphine, Naloxone Drug Combination
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Health Services Research