Comparison of opioid use disorder among male veterans and non-veterans: Disorder rates, socio-demographics, co-morbidities, and quality of life.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

Amidst a surging national crisis of opioid use, concern has been expressed about its impact on veterans, but no study has presented a population-based comparison of opioid use disorder (OUD) among veterans and non-veterans. We analyzed national epidemiologic data to compare rates, correlates and impacts of the opioid crisis on male veterans and non-veterans.

METHODS

Restricted data from 2012 to 2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III) were used to compare veteran and non-veteran men on rates of OUD, as well as correlates of OUD including socio-demographic characteristics, psychiatric and substance use co-morbidities, and reductions in health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

RESULTS

About 2.0% of veterans and 2.7% of non-veterans, estimated at 418,000 and 2.5 million men, respectively, met criteria for life-time OUD. In both groups, OUD was associated with younger age, lower income levels, and fewer years of education. OUD was associated minority race among veterans, but with non-Hispanic white race among non-veterans. Both veteran and non-veteran adults with OUD were at least five times more likely than their peers to have both psychiatric and substance use co-morbidities (p < .001) and they experienced strongly reduced HRQOL scores (Cohen's d = -.50 to -.93).

DISCUSSION AND

CONCLUSION

Veterans and non-veterans experience similar risk of OUD, similar correlates and adverse HRQOL impacts suggesting that similar treatment approaches may be effective for both groups.

SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings highlight comparable vulnerability of veterans to non-veterans in both the risk of OUD and adverse effects on HRQOL. (Am J Addict 2018;XX:1-9).