Healthcare use by people who use illicit opioids (HUPIO): development of a cohort based on electronic primary care records in England.

ABSTRACT: Background: People who use illicit opioids such as heroin have substantial health needs, but there are few longitudinal studies of general health and healthcare in this population. Most research to date has focused on a narrow set of outcomes, including overdoses and HIV or hepatitis infections. We developed and validated a cohort using UK primary care electronic health records (Clinical Practice Research Datalink GOLD and AURUM databases) to facilitate research into healthcare use by people who use illicit opioid use (HUPIO). Methods: Participants are patients in England with primary care records indicating a history of illicit opioid use. We identified codes including prescriptions of opioid agonist therapies (methadone and buprenorphine) and clinical observations such as '

SUBMITTER: Lewer D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7901498 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature