Latent trajectories of anxiety and depressive symptoms among adults in early treatment for nonmedical opioid use

Background: Understanding the course of anxiety and depressive symptoms in early opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment may inform efforts to promote positive early treatment response and reduce treatment attrition. Methods: Persons in treatment for nonmedical opioid use were identified from 86 addiction treatment facilities. Growth mixture modeling was used to identify trajectories of anxiety and depression symptoms during the first month of treatment among individuals who screened positive for depression (N = 3016) and/or anxiety (N = 2779) at intake. Results: A three-class solution best fit the data for anxiety symptoms and included the following trajectories: (1) persistent moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms, (2) remitting severe anxiety symptoms, and (3) persistent minimal-to-mild anxiety symptoms. Similarly, a three-class solution best fit the data for depressive symptoms and included trajectories characterized by (1) persistent moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms, (2) persistent moderate depressive symptoms, and (3) mild/remitting depressive symptoms. Persistent moderate-to-severe anxiety and depressive symptoms were predicted by female gender and heavy past-month benzodiazepine couse. Limitations: Fine grained-information about substance use was not collected. Results may not be generalizable to individuals receiving treatment outside of specialty addiction clinics. Conclusions: Analysis of anxiety and depression symptom trajectories in early treatment suggest that a subset of individuals entering treatment for opioid use experienced persistent and significant anxiety and depressive symptoms, whereas others experience a remission of symptoms. Interventions designed to target individuals at the greatest risk, such as women and individuals reporting opioid/benzodiazepine co-use, may help improve mental health symptoms in early OUD treatment.

Automated summary

The study found that in early treatment for opioid use disorder, some individuals experience persistent and significant anxiety and depressive symptoms, while others experience symptom remission. Females and individuals with heavy past-month benzodiazepine use are more likely to have persistent moderate-to-severe anxiety and depressive symptoms.