Opioid misuse among people with HIV: results from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) 2015-2019.

Aim: Pain is a major challenge in the management of HIV/AIDS. This research analyzed the prevalence of substance use and opioid misuse among people with HIV (PWH) and those without (PWoH) in the USA.

Methods

Using data from the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the study assessed misuse of pain relievers and opioids in 279,025 individuals.

Results

PWH were about 1.88-times more likely to misuse pain relievers and 1.85-times to misuse opioids than PWoH, with a notable rise in hydrocodone and tramadol misuse.

Conclusion

The data highlights an imperative for interventions targeting substance misuse among PWH, addressing the complex nexus of HIV, chronic pain and opioid use.