The article, “‘I’m Clean and Sober, but not Necessarily Free’: Perceptions of Buprenorphine Among Patients in Long-Term Treatment,” has been published in SAj in Volume 44 Issue 1-2.
In this commentary, the authors state that patients receiving buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) experience a roughly 50% reduction in mortality risk relative to those not receiving medication. Longer periods of treatment are also associated with improved clinical outcomes. Despite this, patients often express desires to discontinue treatment and some view taper as treatment success. Little is known about the beliefs and medication perspectives of patients engaged in long-term buprenorphine treatment that may underlie motivations to discontinue.
In the AUTHORS’ OWN WORDS, they relate the importance of their work:
“Findings from this study may help inform shared decision-making conversations between clinicians and patients regarding buprenorphine treatment duration and thereby contribute to patient-centered care. While most evidence indicates that longer treatment duration is better than shorter duration, continuing treatment long-term, or without a clear end point, may be contrary to patient wishes, desires, and/or concerns. Recognizing beliefs and medication perspectives that may underlie patients’ desires to discontinue treatment may help clinicians to anticipate such concerns and better address them within the context of shared decision-making conversations.”
“As patients stabilize in recovery, many may begin to consider tapering or discontinuing buprenorphine. Findings from this study may help clinicians anticipate patient concerns, and can be used to inform shared decision-making conversations between clinicians and patients regarding optimal buprenorphine treatment duration.”