Substance Use and Mental Health in Emerging Adult Vs Older Adult Men and Women With Opioid Use Disorder.

Background And Objectives: We examined age differences across genders in clinical characteristics in emerging adult (≤25 years) vs older adult patients (26+ years) with opioid use disorder (OUD).

Methods: Participants (N = 570; 30% female) entering a comparative effectiveness medication trial of buprenorphine vs extended-release naltrexone.

Results: Differences in clinical characteristics in emerging adult vs older participants were similar across genders. However, women 26+ years reported more mental health problems compared with women ≤25, while men ≤25 years reported more mental health problems compared with men 26+ years.

Discussion And Conclusion: Different strategies for emerging adult and older patients seeking OUD treatment may be necessary to address psychiatric comorbidities that differ across genders in this population.

Scientific Significance: Comprehensive psychiatric assessment should be systematically included in OUD treatment for all genders. Treatment should focus on the emerging adult developmental phase when appropriate, with psychiatric treatment tailored for women and men, separately, across the lifespan. (Am J Addict 2020;29:536-542).