Citation

Bilevicius E, Sommer JL, Asmundson GJG, El-Gabalawy R. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2018; 188: 119-125.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, 190 Dysart Rd, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada; Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, University of Manitoba, 2nd Floor, Harry Medovy House, 671 William Ave, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0Z2, Canada; Department of Clinical Health Psychology, University of Manitoba, PZ350-771 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3N4, Canada. Electronic address: renee.el-gabalawy@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.04.005

PMID

29775955

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain conditions and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) commonly co-occur and are associated with opioid use disorder (OUD). The aims of this paper were to identify prevalence estimates of OUD among individuals with and without PTSD and assess independent and combined contributions of PTSD and chronic pain conditions on OUD in a nationally representative sample.

METHODS: Data were extracted from 36,309 individuals from the 2012-2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Past-year PTSD and OUD were assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-DSM-5 edition. Respondents reported physician-confirmed, past-year chronic pain conditions, categorized into musculoskeletal pain (e.g., arthritis), digestive pain (e.g., pancreatitis), and nerve pain (e.g., reflex sympathetic dystrophy). We examined the weighted prevalence of OUD among those with and without PTSD. Multiple logistic regressions examined the association between PTSD and chronic pain conditions on OUD.

RESULTS: The prevalence of OUD was higher among those with PTSD than those without. Comorbid PTSD/musculoskeletal pain and PTSD/nerve pain conditions were associated with increased odds of OUD, compared to those with neither PTSD nor chronic pain conditions. Digestive pain conditions were not associated with OUD. Comorbid PTSD/musculoskeletal pain conditions demonstrated an additive relationship on OUD compared to musculoskeletal pain conditions and PTSD alone.

CONCLUSIONS: Results reveal that musculoskeletal pain and nerve pain conditions are associated with increased odds of OUD, but only musculoskeletal pain conditions display an additive relationship on OUD when combined with PTSD. These findings have implications for opioid management and screening among those with comorbid conditions.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Chronic pain; Comorbidity; DSM-5; Musculoskeletal conditions; Opioid use disorder; Posttraumatic stress disorder