title: Opioid maintenance treatment as a harm reduction tool for opioid-dependent individuals in New York City: the need to expand access to buprenorphine/naloxone in marginalized populations.
abstract: The aim of this pilot study was to assess the effectiveness of buprenorphine/naloxone (BUP/NX) among marginalized, opioid-dependent individuals in terms of retention in and cycling into and out of a harm-reduction program. This pilot study enrolled 100 participants and followed them from November 2005 to July 2008. The overall proportion of patients retained in the program at the end of 3, 6, 9, and 12 months was 68%, 63%, 56%, and 42%, respectively. This pilot study demonstrated that BUP/NX could be successfully used to treat marginalized heroin users.
authors.affiliation: Harm Reduction Coalition, New York, New York 10025, USA. stancliff@harmreduction.org
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stancliff
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: Chunki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Furst
authors.forename: Sandra D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Comer
authors.forename: Perrine
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roux
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009270:Naloxone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D062487:Social Marginalization; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009270:Naloxone; D002047:Buprenorphine