Parental prescription opioid abuse and the impact on children.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to identify which characteristics of opioid-abusing parents were associated with greater global impairment of their children.

METHODS

Data regarding participant demographics, drug use, and child demographics were collected from 14 patients in a chemical dependency unit who had at least one child between the ages of 4 and 17, inclusive. Child global impairment was measured by the parents' report using the Brief Impairment Scale (BIS). Regression analyses were conducted to assess which parental characteristics were associated with child BIS scores.

RESULTS

The mean age of the 14 participants was approximately 40 years, 9 (64.3%) were women, and 12 (85.7%) were white. At the time of hospitalization, 12 (85.7%) had had prior substance abuse treatment, 9 (64.3%) had received prescription opioids through non-medical sources, and 9 (64.3%) had a criminal history. The mean BIS score of 24 children was 15.5, which is associated with moderate global impairment of function. Greater child BIS scores were associated with a number of parental characteristics, such as obtaining any prescription opioids through non-medical sources, having a greater number of arrests, previously using drugs intravenously, and having a greater number of prior substance abuse treatment episodes.

CONCLUSIONS

By assessing these parental characteristics, clinicians may be able to assess children who are at risk for impairment and, in turn, may be in need of mental health services. Due to limitations of this study, further evaluation is needed.