Age Group Differences Among Adults Seeking Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in Rehabilitation/Residential Settings in the United States

Authors

Sydney Bornstein, Department of Epidemiology (SB, IK, MM), Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC. Electronic address: sbornstein@gwu.edu.
Adam Ciarleglio, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics (AC), Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC.
Irene Kuo, Department of Epidemiology (SB, IK, MM), Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC.
Manya Magnus, Department of Epidemiology (SB, IK, MM), Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

12-1-2025

Journal

The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry

Volume

33

Issue

12

DOI

10.1016/j.jagp.2025.06.007

Keywords

Aging; older adults; opioid use disorder; substance use treatment

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Important and underappreciated age group differences among opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment discharges from rehabilitation/residential settings in the United States may exist. We aimed to characterize these differences and compare correlates of treatment completion by age. METHODS: Using data from the 2015-2019 Treatment Episode Dataset-Discharges (TEDS-D), we described and compared sociodemographic, treatment, and substance use characteristics across different age groups (18-29, 30-49, 50-54, 55-64, and 65+) of OUD treatment discharges from rehabilitation/residential settings. We used logistic regression to determine the age-stratified associations between these characteristics and treatment completion. RESULTS: We found several age-group differences in demographic, treatment and substance use characteristics and correlates of treatment completion. Notably, discharges in the 55-64 group who were married (versus never married) had higher odds of treatment completion, whereas those in the 18-29 group who were married (versus never married) had lower odds of treatment completion. Among discharges in the 18-29, 30-49, and 50-54 groups, an older age at first opioid use (18-29) was associated with a higher odds of treatment completion compared to a younger age at first opioid use (under 18). Conversely, in the 55-64 group, an older age of first opioid use (30+ versus under 18) had a lower odds of treatment completion. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that there are distinct age differences among younger and older adult OUD treatment discharges from rehabilitation/residential settings in the US. Age-specific approaches should be developed and implemented to improve treatment for older adults.

APA Citation

Bornstein, Sydney; Ciarleglio, Adam; Kuo, Irene; and Magnus, Manya, "Age Group Differences Among Adults Seeking Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in Rehabilitation/Residential Settings in the United States" (2025). GW Authored Works. Paper 8504.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/8504

Department

Epidemiology