Leveraging the Full Continuum of Care to Prevent Opioid Use Disorder

Substance use disorder prevention programs are most effective when matched appropriately to the baseline risk of the population. Individuals who misuse opioids often have unique risk profiles different from those who use other substances such as alcohol or cannabis. However, most substance use prevention programs are geared toward universal audiences, neglecting key inflection points along the continuum of care. The HEAL Prevention Cooperative (HPC) is a unique cohort of research projects that represents a continuum of care, from community-level universal prevention to indicated prevention among older adolescents and young adults who are currently misusing opioids or other substances. This paper describes the theoretical basis for addressing opioid misuse and opioid use disorder across the prevention continuum, using examples from research projects in the HPC.

Automated summary

Substance use disorder prevention programs should be tailored to the specific risk profiles of different populations, as individuals who misuse opioids have different risk factors compared to those who use other substances. However, most prevention programs are designed for broad audiences and fail to address important points of intervention. The HEAL Prevention Cooperative (HPC) is a unique research initiative that covers a continuum of care, targeting both universal prevention strategies and specific interventions for older adolescents and young adults currently misusing opioids or other substances. This paper outlines the theoretical foundation of addressing opioid misuse and use disorder across the prevention continuum using examples from HPC research projects.