Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Date of Award

Fall 12-2019

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)

Advisor(s)

Rebecca Casarez, PhD

Second Advisor

Geri LoBiondo-Wood, PhD

Third Advisor

Angela Nash, PhD

Fourth Advisor

Joy M. Schmitz, PhD

Abstract

Background and Significance: Deaths related to opioid overdose are increasing. Treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) is necessary to help prevent future opioid abuse, and often involves opioid detoxification, followed by short-term residential treatment, typically lasting about 28 days. Literature regarding OUD and short-term residential treatment is limited. Predictors of short-term residential completion, including whether detoxification was performed, may help addiction professionals individualize treatments. This study’s purpose was to determine predictors of short-term residential completion treatment for OUD, and whether detoxification prior to entering residential treatment may also be a factor in residential completion.

Method: De-identified data regarding detoxification and short-term residential treatment was obtained from a Texas substance abuse treatment center. Data on demographics, social factors, and drug history were examined. Chi-squares were performed, examining differences between residential treatment completion and categorical variables, while Mann-Whitney U tests were run examining differences with the continuous independent variables. The same tests were run between the primary independent variable of detoxification prior to residential treatment and the other independent variables. Variables statistically significant for short-term residential completion and the primary independent variables were entered into binomial logistic regression models, assessing odds ratios of potential predictors of short-term residential treatment completion.

Results: Total sample size was 1001. Males were more likely to complete short-term residential treatment in both detoxification models tested (p = .001 for both models). Full-time employment was 2.132 times more predictive of residential completion than unemployment (p = .049). Those inhaling opioids nasally were 2.342 times more likely to complete short-term residential than those using intravenous injection (p = .022). Adjusted odds ratio for detoxification prior to residential treatment wasn’t statistically significant for predicting residential completion (p = .123). For every day spent in detoxification, one was .960 times less likely to complete residential treatment (p = .032). Medicaid participants were less likely to complete residential treatment in both detoxification models (p = .019 and p = .013).

Conclusion: Further research of short-term residential completion is needed regarding gender, employment status, method of use, and Medicaid to determine relationships between these variables, and potential interventions for promoting treatment completion.

Keywords

Opioid, Predictors, Short-term Residential Treatment

Included in

Nursing Commons

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