Of persons with HIV who are in care, 3.3% misuse opioids, and those who do are less likely to have been prescribed antiretrovirals or have a suppressed viral load.
Because pain in a commonly reported symptom among people living with HIV (PLWH), they are more likely to be prescribed opioids and at higher doses than the general population. Using interview and medical record data from the CDC-funded Medical Monitoring Project, a nationally representative study of adults receiving HIV care in the U.S., investigators studied opioid misuse and associations among 28,162 adult PLWH in care.
Overall, 975 PLWH (3.3%) reported misusing opioids (2.1% prescription opioids, 1.0% heroin, and 0.2% both) of whom 23.1% reported injecting opioids. Other drugs commonly used by those who misused opioids included marijuana (66.6%), cocaine (37.1%), prescription sedatives (27.3%), and methamphetamines (26.9%). Binge drinking…
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresGrant/Research SupportNIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse
Editorial BoardsJAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes; Vaccines
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesInternational Antiviral Society–USA (Board of Directors); Infectious Diseases Society of America (Past President)
DisclosuresGrant/Research SupportNIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse
Editorial BoardsJAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes; Vaccines
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesInternational Antiviral Society–USA (Board of Directors); Infectious Diseases Society of America (Past President)