title: Distance traveled and cross-state commuting to opioid treatment programs in the United States.
abstract: This study examined commuting patterns among 23,141 methadone patients enrolling in 84 opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in the United States. Patients completed an anonymous one-page survey. A linear mixed model analysis was used to predict distance traveled to the OTP. More than half (60%) the patients traveled < 10 miles and 6% travelled between 50 and 200 miles to attend an OTP; 8% travelled across a state border to attend an OTP. In the multivariate model (n = 17,792), factors significantly (P < .05) associated with distance were, residing in the Southeast or Midwest, low urbanicity, area of the patient's ZIP code, younger age, non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity, prescription opioid abuse, and no heroin use. A significant number of OTP patients travel considerable distances to access treatment. To reduce obstacles to OTP access, policy makers and treatment providers should be alert to patients' commuting patterns and to factors associated with them.
authors.affiliation: National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. (NDRI), 71 W 23 Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10010, USA. rosenblum@ndri.org
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosenblum
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cleland
authors.forename: Chunki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kayman
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tempalski
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parrino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D053610:Opiate Alkaloids; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014186:Transportation; D014481:United States; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D053610:Opiate Alkaloids