Depot buprenorphine injections for opioid use disorder: Patient information needs and preferences

TY - JOUR

T1 - Depot buprenorphine injections for opioid use disorder

T2 - Patient information needs and preferences

AU - Neale, Joanne

AU - Tompkins, Charlotte Nyala Elizabeth

AU - Strang, John S

PY - 2019/7

Y1 - 2019/7

N2 - Introduction and Aims: There has been significant recent investment in new medications for opioid use disorder, including buprenorphine depot injections. Patients and professionals need good quality, independent information on medications to help them make informed treatment decisions. This paper aims to understand patients’ information needs and preferences in relation to buprenorphine depot injections. Design and Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 36 people using opioids (26 men, 10 women; 24–63 years). Twelve participants were currently prescribed daily oral methadone; 12 were currently prescribed daily oral buprenorphine; and 12 were using heroin and not in treatment. Interviews were transcribed, coded and analysed via Iterative Categorisation. Results: Participants asked many questions about depot buprenorphine injections. These related to: (i) medication purpose and availability; (ii) pharmacology; (iii) evidence base and effectiveness; (iv) safety and side effects; (v) administration and dosing; and (vi) reducing and ending treatment. Additionally, participants expressed their information preferences in terms of (i) ‘format’ and (ii) ‘source’. Specifically, they wanted printed, verbal and electronic materials provided by people in authority, particularly patients who had already had the medication. Discussion and Conclusions: All potential patients should be offered accessible information on depot buprenorphine to enable them to consider their options and participate meaningfully in treatment decision making. We recommend that further qualitative research is undertaken to produce informative video material that describes patient experiences of receiving depot buprenorphine. This should help to balance biomedical knowledge with lay knowledge, so facilitating more informed discussions when decisions about depot buprenorphine treatment are made.

AB - Introduction and Aims: There has been significant recent investment in new medications for opioid use disorder, including buprenorphine depot injections. Patients and professionals need good quality, independent information on medications to help them make informed treatment decisions. This paper aims to understand patients’ information needs and preferences in relation to buprenorphine depot injections. Design and Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 36 people using opioids (26 men, 10 women; 24–63 years). Twelve participants were currently prescribed daily oral methadone; 12 were currently prescribed daily oral buprenorphine; and 12 were using heroin and not in treatment. Interviews were transcribed, coded and analysed via Iterative Categorisation. Results: Participants asked many questions about depot buprenorphine injections. These related to: (i) medication purpose and availability; (ii) pharmacology; (iii) evidence base and effectiveness; (iv) safety and side effects; (v) administration and dosing; and (vi) reducing and ending treatment. Additionally, participants expressed their information preferences in terms of (i) ‘format’ and (ii) ‘source’. Specifically, they wanted printed, verbal and electronic materials provided by people in authority, particularly patients who had already had the medication. Discussion and Conclusions: All potential patients should be offered accessible information on depot buprenorphine to enable them to consider their options and participate meaningfully in treatment decision making. We recommend that further qualitative research is undertaken to produce informative video material that describes patient experiences of receiving depot buprenorphine. This should help to balance biomedical knowledge with lay knowledge, so facilitating more informed discussions when decisions about depot buprenorphine treatment are made.

KW - extended release buprenorphine

KW - heroin

KW - information

KW - opioid

KW - qualitative method

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85069513700&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/dar.12939

DO - 10.1111/dar.12939

M3 - Article

SN - 0959-5236

VL - 38

SP - 510

EP - 518

JO - Drug and Alcohol Review

JF - Drug and Alcohol Review

IS - 5

ER -