A randomized trial of intensive outpatient (IOP) vs. standard outpatient (OP) buprenorphine treatment for African Americans

• Published in: Drug and alcohol dependence Vol. 128; no. 3; pp. 222 - 229
• Main Authors: Mitchell, Shannon Gwin, Gryczynski, Jan, Schwartz, Robert P, O’Grady, Kevin E, Olsen, Yngvild K, Jaffe, Jerome H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.03.2013
• Subjects: African Americans; African Americans - psychology; Ambulatory Care - methods; Baltimore; Black American people; Buprenorphine; Buprenorphine - administration & dosage; CIDI-2; Cocaine-Related Disorders - diagnosis; Cocaine-Related Disorders - therapy; Community based; Counseling - methods; Counselling; Drug dependency; Female; Humans; IOP; Male; Opiate Substitution Treatment - methods; Opioid-Related Disorders - diagnosis; Opioid-Related Disorders - therapy; Opioids; Psychiatry; Quality of life; Baltimore; African Americans; CIDI-2; IOP; Buprenorphine; Quality of life
• ISSN: 0376-8716; 1879-0046
• DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.08.027

Abstract Background Buprenorphine is increasingly being used in community-based treatment programs, but little is known about the optimal level of psychosocial counseling in these settings. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of OP and IOP level counseling when provided as part of buprenorphine treatment for opioid-dependent African Americans. Methods Participants were African American men and women starting buprenorphine treatment at one of two community-based clinics ( N = 300). Participants were randomly assigned to OP or IOP. Measures at baseline, 3- and 6-month included the primary outcome of DSM-IV opioid and cocaine dependence criteria, as well as additional outcomes of illicit opioid and cocaine use (urine test and self-report), criminal activity, retention in treatment, Quality of Life, Addiction Severity Index composite scores, and HIV risk behaviors. Results Participants assigned to OP received, on average, 3.67 ( SD = 1.30) h of counseling per active week in treatment. IOP participants received an average of 5.23 ( SD = 1.68) h of counseling per active week (less than the anticipated 9 h per week of counseling). Both groups showed substantial improvement over a 6-month period on nearly all measures considered. There were no significant differences between groups in meeting diagnostic criteria for opioid ( p = .67) or cocaine dependence ( p = .63). There were no significant between group differences on any of the other outcomes. A secondary analysis restricting the sample to participants meeting DSM-IV criteria for baseline cocaine dependence also revealed no significant between-group differences (all p s > .05). Conclusions Buprenorphine patients receiving OP and IOP levels of care both show short-term improvements.