Optimizing psychosocial support during office-based buprenorphine treatment in primary care: Patients' experiences and preferences

Aaron D. Fox, Mariya Masyukova, Chinazo O. Cunningham

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

35 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Buprenorphine maintenance treatment is effective and has been successfully integrated into human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and primary care settings. However, one key barrier to providers prescribing buprenorphine is their perception that they are unable to provide adequate counseling or psychosocial support to patients with opioid addiction. This qualitative study investigated supportive elements of office-based buprenorphine treatment that patients perceived to be most valuable. Methods: The authors conducted five focus groups with 33 buprenorphine treatment-experienced participants. Focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed. Iterative readings of transcripts and grounded theory analysis revealed common themes. Results: Overall, participants perceived that buprenorphine treatment helped them to achieve their treatment goals and valued the flexibility, accessibility, and privacy of treatment. Participants identified interpersonal and structural elements of buprenorphine treatment that provided psychosocial support. Participants desired good physician-patient relationships, but also valued care delivery models that were patient-centered, created a safe place for self-disclosure, and utilized coordinated team-based care. Conclusions: Participants derived psychosocial support from their prescribing physician, but were also open to collaborative or team-based models of care, as long as they were voluntary and confidential. Buprenorphine-prescribing physicians without access to referral options for psychosocial counseling could focus on maintaining nonjudgmental attitudes and shared decision-making during patient encounters. Adding structure and psychosocial support to buprenorphine treatment through coordinated team-based care also seems to have great promise.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)70-75
Number of pages6
JournalSubstance Abuse
Volume37
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2 2016

Keywords

  • Buprenorphine
  • opiate addiction
  • psychosocial support

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Optimizing psychosocial support during office-based buprenorphine treatment in primary care: Patients' experiences and preferences'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this