Abstract
This study aimed to determine the patterns of medical service utilization among heroin users and to identify the factors associated with the frequency of utilization. We conducted a retrospective/prospective cohort study of 789 heroin-using adults in a catchment area, collecting data on their usage of medical care, including inpatient care, emergency visits, and outpatient care, in a 2-year observation period. We interviewed and reviewed the medical records of 789 heroin users in a methadone clinic of a general hospital in a rural area of Taiwan. The demographic data, records of service use, diagnoses, and information on viral infection status from Jan. 1, 2007 to Dec. 31, 2008 were collected. Most patients were middle-aged and unemployed, had a basic educational level, and began their first heroin use in their twenties. The health service utilization of heroin users was mostly for infectious diseases, orthopedic conditions, and gastroenterological disorders mainly due to blood-borne or local infections and traumatic injury. Heroin users utilize fewer outpatient or inpatient services, but more emergency care than the general public. The major correlates of inpatient and emergency service utilization were HIV status and educatio...Continue Reading
References
Dec 1, 1979·Journal of the American Dietetic Association
Jan 1, 1995·Journal of Substance Abuse·T D'Aunno, T E Vaughn
May 1, 1996·American Journal of Public Health·R S GarfeinK E Nelson
Jan 1, 1996·The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry·R C KesslerP J Leaf
Jan 1, 1997·Archives of General Psychiatry·R K BroonerG E Bigelow
Feb 1, 1997·American Journal of Public Health·L GelbergP Koegel
Jul 1, 1999·The Psychiatric Clinics of North America·M D Stein
May 10, 2001·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·C LaineB J Turner
May 16, 2001·Archives of General Psychiatry·Y I HserM D Anglin
Jul 24, 2001·MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report·UNKNOWN Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Feb 19, 2002·Drug and Alcohol Dependence·Carmen L MassonDavid C Perlman
Sep 17, 2004·The American Journal on Addictions·Susan J BoydKenzie L Preston
Apr 6, 2006·Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community·Julie E PonitzJoseph R Ferrari
Aug 17, 2006·Addiction·Shane DarkeJohan Duflou
Jun 26, 2007·Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment·Thomas P O'TooleDaniel E Ford
Feb 2, 2008·BMC Public Health·Ivar SkeieHelge Waal
Apr 22, 2009·Journal of Medical Virology·Fang-Yeh ChuShu-Hsing Cheng
Aug 12, 2009·Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy·UNKNOWN U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Feb 13, 2010·Addiction·Shane DarkeRebecca McKetin
Dec 8, 2010·Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy·UNKNOWN Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Service U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
Apr 9, 2011·Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy·Tony Szu-Hsien LeeYi-Lien Liu
Jan 10, 2012·American Journal of Epidemiology·Jennifer L EvansKimberly Page
Oct 2, 2012·Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment·Charles Lung-Cheng Huang, Chung Wei Lee
Citations
Mar 8, 2016·The American Journal of Emergency Medicine·Matthew A WeeksMark B Mycyk
Mar 18, 2017·Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse·Courtney McKnightDavid C Perlman
Oct 24, 2017·Pain Medicine : the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine·Karleen F GiannitrapaniKarl A Lorenz
Mar 16, 2019·JAMA Network Open·Angela RussolilloJulian M Somers
Mar 16, 2017·Drug and Alcohol Review·Rebecca McKetinDan I Lubman
Nov 11, 2019·Addiction·Dan LewerKatherine I Morley
Sep 4, 2019·Journal of Addictions Nursing·Christine JaitehIrena Anna Frei
Feb 10, 2021·Advances in Therapy·Chieh-Liang HuangCynthia Wei-Sheng Lee