According to the results of a new study carried out by researchers from Mass General Brigham, adolescents and young adults who took the medication buprenorphine to treat addiction for at least one year had a significantly decreased risk of opioid overdose and hospitalization compared to study participants who stopped taking the medication early or took it inconsistently.
Specifically, the research study examined data collected from a total of 11,649 participants aged 13–26 years who initiated buprenorphine in Massachusetts over the period spanning between 2014 and 2020. The data used from the study was accessed through the Massachusetts Public Health Data Warehouse, a comprehensive statewide dataset linking medical, pharmacy, and mortality records. The data was also used to identify four patterns of medication use: 24% of the participants had high adherence for 12 months, 28% had low adherence for 12 months, 16% discontinued the medication after 3 to 9 months, and 33% discontinued within 3 months.
“Amid the fentanyl era, short-term treatment is simply not enough,” added Dr. Hadland. “Clinicians, insurers, and health systems should do everything possible to help young people continue medication for at least a year or longer. This is a key step toward reducing youth overdose deaths.”
It was found that participants who adhered to the medication for 12 months had significantly lower risks of opioid overdose compared to those who stopped earlier. Specifically, participants who discontinued medication within 3 to 9 months faced an 82% higher risk of overdose, while those who stopped in under 3 months had a 76% higher risk. In addition, participants with low adherence to medication over 12 months had a 46% higher risk. Additionally, those who maintained high adherence for a full year experienced fewer emergency department visits and hospitalizations.
“We are commonly asked in youth addiction treatment how long to stay on medication and how strictly it must be taken to provide protection,” said the study’s lead and corresponding author, Dr. Scott Hadland, chief of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Mass General Brigham for Children. “Our findings suggest that maintaining high adherence for at least a year substantially reduces overdose risk. It’s a clear message to clinicians, families and youth that longer treatment saves lives.”
The study authors note that these findings demonstrate the importance of helping youth adhere to addiction treatment, including through the use of long-acting injectable buprenorphine and providing support for youth with co-occurring mental illness and housing instability.
