Exposure to Violence and Posttreatment Substance Use Among Patients With Opioid Use Disorder

Abstract

Exposure to violence can lead to a dramatic increase in the likelihood of the development of a substance use disorder (SUD). Given the overlap between the two, substance use for survivors of violence, then, can be a coping mechanism to manage the traumatic effects of abuse and persistent use can evolve into a diagnosable SUD. This study was designed to examine the posttreatment substance use among adults who have a history of exposure to violence and sought treatment for opioid use disorder. Data for this study were drawn from the Comprehensive Addiction Treatment Outcome Research system. Among the 13,105 patients included in the study, 444 (3.4%) received a formal diagnosis for opioid use disorder. Female victims of violence are at a greater risk of suffering injuries related to violence, resulting in increased levels of medical care utilization, which may prompt the initiation and prolonged use of prescription pain relief medication. Related to this important finding is another indicating that exposure to violence at multiple points in the past was associated with more severe indicators of substance use. These data show that there is a relationship between exposure to violence, SUDs, and relapse among patients seeking treatment. Not only must patients and treatment providers address these past violent experiences as important psychological factors in recovery, but in the context of opioid use disorder, physical injuries contributing to chronic pain may also trigger persistent substance use.