Written by Carleen Maxwell-Taylor, MPH – AATOD Project Director
The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, Inc. (AATOD) developed the Opioid Use Study and began implementation in January 2005 to evaluate the incidence of prescription opioid abuse among new admissions to Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs). This project is funded through a grant from Denver Health and Hospital Authority – Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center and is under the umbrella of the Researched Abuse, Diversion and Addiction Related Surveillance (RADARS®) System. The data collected is independently analyzed by Survey of Key Informants’ Patients (SKIP) Program under the aegis of Washington University in St Louis.
At the inception, OTPs were originally selected to primarily represent regions in the United States where prescription opioid abuse was believed to be prevalent, e.g., southeastern states, although some OTPs are located in areas where prescription opioid abuse is less prevalent, e.g., San Francisco, New York City and other urban areas. However, over the years, we have expanded and included OTPs from different regions of the country. The anonymous surveys completed by the patients enrolling in OTPs provide a useful tool in assessing the prevalence of opioid drug abuse as noted in the graphs. Please click HERE to view graphs.
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The Opioid Use Study continues to offer useful information that is being used to improve opioid treatment in addition to guiding future federal policies. Publications and other relevant resources utilizing data from the Opioid Use Study and the RADARS® System can be retrieved via this link: https://www.radars.org/publications.html.
For information about the Opioid Use Study, please feel free to contact AATOD.
RADARS System. (2020). RADARS System Opioid Treatment Program Site Report: All Sites [Unpublished Semi-Annual Report]. Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety
