and higher incomes, and Medicaid and private insurance a focus on reducing opioid pain beneficiaries have narrowed during the past decade. reliever abuse is needed given the strong These findings are consistent with recent research association between opioid pain relievers 0.5 documenting significant demographic shifts among and heroin abuse and dependence seen in people entering heroin addiction treatment over the last this study, and prior research indicating that 40 to 50 years (4). In addition, persons using heroin are the rate of heroin initiation among people 0.0 abusing multiple other substances, especially cocaine with a history of nonmedical use of opioid and opioid pain relievers. pain relievers was approximately 19 times A comprehensive response that targets the wider range greater than those with no history of of demographic groups using heroin and addresses the nonmedical use with key risk factors for heroin abuse and dependence is low * Past-year heroin abuse or dependence is based on diagnostic criteria contained in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition. (3). Interventions such as prescription drug monitoring programs to reduce inappropriate
0.5 0.0 with low and higher incomes, and Medicaid and private insurance beneficiaries have narrowed during the past decade. These findings are consistent with recent research documenting significant demographic shifts among people entering heroin addiction treatment over the last 40 to 50 years (4). In addition, persons using heroin are abusing multiple other substances, especially cocaine and opioid pain relievers. A comprehensive response that targets the wider range of demographic groups using heroin and addresses the key risk factors for heroin abuse and dependence is a focus on reducing opioid pain reliever abuse is needed given the strong association between opioid pain relievers and heroin abuse and dependence seen in this study, and prior research indicating that the rate of heroin initiation among people with a history of nonmedical use of opioid pain relievers was approximately 19 times greater than those with no history of nonmedical use * Past-year heroin abuse or dependence is based on diagnostic criteria contained in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition. (3). Interventions such as prescription drug monitoring programs to reduce inappropriate
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