Detoxification-seeking opioid users who were surveyed about several potential life issues said they were most concerned about drug problems.
The next most serious concerns of the 529 opioid users – including heroin users and prescription opioid users – were money problems, relationship problems, mental health, and cigarette smoking, according to a study by Dr. Michael D. Stein and his associates.
The two groups, however, ranked some of the potential life issues differently. While the prescription opioid users were more concerned about alcohol use (P < .001) than were the heroin users, they were less concerned about drug problems (P = .017) and transmitted disease (P < .001), compared to the heroin users.
The researchers concluded that opioid users may benefit from treatment that includes access to resources for managing life concerns.
Read the full study in Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment (doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2014.07.001).