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Clinician beliefs and attitudes about buprenorphine/naloxone diversion
Author(s) -
SchumanOlivier Zev,
Connery Hilary,
Griffin Margaret L.,
Wyatt Steve A.,
Wartenberg Alan A.,
Borodovsky Jacob,
Renner John A.,
Weiss Roger D.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the american journal on addictions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.997
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-0391
pISSN - 1055-0496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1521-0391.2013.12024.x
Subject(s) - buprenorphine , (+) naloxone , medicine , addiction , psychiatry , accidental , family medicine , opioid , physics , acoustics , receptor
Background and Objectives Concern about diversion of buprenorphine/naloxone (B/N) in the United States may affect prescribing patterns and policy decisions. This study examines addiction treatment clinician beliefs and attitudes regarding B/N diversion. Methods Participants ( n = 369) completed a 34‐item survey in 2010 during two national symposia on opioid dependence. We conducted multivariable regression, examining the relationship of perceived danger from B/N diversion with clinician characteristics and their beliefs about B/N treatment and diversion. We compared causal beliefs about diversion among clinicians with and without B/N treatment experience. Results Forty percent of clinicians believed that B/N diversion is a dangerous problem. The belief that B/N diversion increases accidental overdoses in the community was strongly associated with perceived danger from B/N diversion. Conclusions and Scientific Significance Attitudes and beliefs, not education level, were associated with clinician's perceived danger from B/N diversion. Clinicians with greater B/N patient experience were more likely to believe treatment access barriers are the major cause of B/N diversion. (Am J Addict 2013;22:574–580)