Impact of changes to the delivery of opioid agonist treatment, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, on treatment access and dropout in Ireland: An interrupted time series analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Following the emergence of COVID-19, Ireland introduced national contingency guidelines to ensure rapid and uninterrupted access to opioid agonist treatment (OAT). This study aims to assess the impact of changes introduced to the delivery of OAT on the number of people accessing treatment and treatment dropout.

Methods

The study conducted interrupted time series analyses, with separate segmented regression models (March 2019-February 2020) vs (April 2020-March 2021), for (A) total number of people accessing OAT, (B) the number initiating treatment, and (C) the number dropping out of treatment, using data from the National OAT treatment register. The study examined immediate (change in level or intercept: β₂) and long-term impacts (change in slope; i.e.,

SUBMITTER: Durand L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10063453 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature