@article{ref1,
title="Risk behaviors among persons civilly committed for opioid use",
journal="Journal of substance abuse treatment",
year="2021",
author="Christopher, Paul P. and Stewart, Catherine and Manning, William and Anderson, Bradley J. and Woodruff, Alexander and Monteiro, Jordanna and Stein, Michael D.",
volume="132",
number="",
pages="108493-108493",
abstract="Despite the growth in civil commitment for persons who use opioids, we know little about the kinds of risk behaviors among those committed. This study examined the behaviors that a judge might use to determine if there is sufficient evidence that an individual's opioid use poses a risk for serious harm. The study recruited participants (n = 121) from three Massachusetts Department of Public Health civil commitment facilities in 2018. We used a list of risk behaviors that courts consider supportive of opioid-related civil commitment. Participants averaged 28 years of age, 56% were male, and 91% met criteria for severe opioid use disorder. Participants endorsed an average of 9 of the 27 risk behaviors. On average, participants endorsed three of the six drug use behaviors representing a danger to themselves, four of eleven behaviors representing an inability to care for or protect themselves (home safety, weight loss), and two of ten behaviors representing a danger to others (driving high or drunk). Participants who reported they were &quot;not at all pleased&quot; to have been civilly committed endorsed significantly (p = .009) fewer behaviors representing a danger to themselves than those who said they were at least &quot;a little pleased.&quot; We conclude that the majority of individuals civilly committed for opioid use are engaging in multiple high-risk behaviors that pose a serious risk of harm to themselves.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0740-5472",
doi="10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108493",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108493"
}