Navigation auf zora.uzh.ch

Search ZORA

ZORA (Zurich Open Repository and Archive)

Opioid agonist treatment in transition: A cross-country comparison between Austria, Germany and Switzerland

Schwarz, Tanja; Anzenberger, Judith; Busch, Martin; Gmel, Gerhard; Kraus, Ludwig; Krausz, Michael; Labhart, Florian; Meyer, Maximilian; Schaub, Michael P; Westenberg, Jean N; Uhl, Alfred (2024). Opioid agonist treatment in transition: A cross-country comparison between Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 254:111036.

Abstract

Background and aims: OAT is a well developed and successful treatment strategy for opioid dependent patients in Europe. It has significantly contributed to the fight against the HIV and HCV pandemics, leading to an increased life expectancy in this population. Building on the OAT experiences in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland and their models of care, the objective of this study is to analyse experiences and changes in patient structures to identify necessary adaptations for the system of care.

Methods: We analysed national register-based data from patients receiving OAT during the period spanning from 2010 to 2020 in Austria, Germany (cases), and Switzerland. We examined and compared OAT policies and practice at national levels through a review of literature and publicly available policy documents.

Results: Across these three countries, the life expectancy of OAT patients increased substantially. The mean age increased from 33.0 in 2010 to 39.1 in 2020 in Austria, from 35.6 years to 41.5 years in Germany (cases), and from 39.6 to 47.1 in Switzerland, respectively. In all three countries, the percentage of patients/cases aged 60 years and older increased more than tenfold between 2010 and 2020.

Conclusions: Integrated support models, reliable care structures, internationally comparable high treatment coverage, flexible prescribing practices, and a wide range of available OAT medications are successful strategies. The experiences in these countries indicate that it is possible to address the complex and chronic nature of opioid dependence and its concurrent mental and physical health challenges, resulting in an increasing life expectancy of OAT patients.

Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:04 Faculty of Medicine > Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction
Dewey Decimal Classification:610 Medicine & health
Scopus Subject Areas:Life Sciences > Toxicology
Life Sciences > Pharmacology
Health Sciences > Psychiatry and Mental Health
Health Sciences > Pharmacology (medical)
Uncontrolled Keywords:Pharmacology (medical), Psychiatry and Mental health, Pharmacology, Toxicology
Language:English
Date:1 January 2024
Deposited On:25 Mar 2024 10:33
Last Modified:31 Oct 2024 02:38
Publisher:Elsevier
ISSN:0376-8716
OA Status:Hybrid
Free access at:Publisher DOI. An embargo period may apply.
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.111036
PubMed ID:38091902
Download PDF  'Opioid agonist treatment in transition: A cross-country comparison between Austria, Germany and Switzerland'.
Preview
  • Content: Published Version
  • Language: English
  • Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Metadata Export

Statistics

Citations

Dimensions.ai Metrics

Altmetrics

Downloads

31 downloads since deposited on 25 Mar 2024
33 downloads since 12 months
Detailed statistics

Authors, Affiliations, Collaborations

Similar Publications