Improving outcomes in opiate dependence by understanding barriers and facilitators to opiate detoxification.

2021年，英国约有一半的药物中毒死亡与鸦片类药物有关，这是有记录以来的最高数字。随着阿片类药物完全解毒的减少(即减少剂量和停止使用)，迫切需要新的药物来支持戒毒。这一领域的研究资金不足，被忽视。帝国理工学院的成瘾研究小组是英国唯一一个对治疗阿片依赖的新药理靶点进行研究的小组。FORWARDS研究旨在调查巴氯芬支持美沙酮戒毒的安全性和有效性。为了通报和优化新疗法的实施，至关重要的是首先要了解为什么完成戒毒的数量在下降，参与者的康复动机，以及戒烟的潜在障碍。我的项目旨在确定阿片成瘾治疗的关键促进者和障碍。它将使用混合方法，分析来自问卷调查、半结构化访谈和当前文献的数据。它希望这项研究将提供一个了解，为什么完成戒毒的数量在下降，以及可以做些什么来支持那些希望戒毒的人，或者如果戒除的话，谁的健康可能会改善。这些发现将有助于解释有效性数据，从而增加试验的巨大价值，并可嵌入未来的临床和研究实践。

In 2021, approximately half of all drug poisoningmortalities in England involved an opiate, the highestnumber since records began. With a decline in completedopioid detoxes (i.e. dose reduction and cessation of use),the need for new medications to support abstinence isurgent. Research in this area is underfunded and neglected.The addiction team at Imperial College is the only group inthe UK conducting research into new pharmacologicaltargets for the treatment of opioid dependence. TheFORWARDS study aims to investigate the safety andefficacy of baclofen to support detoxification frommethadone. To inform and optimise the implementation ofnovel treatments, it is crucial to first understand why thenumber of completed detoxes is declining, participantmotivations for recovery, and potential barriers toabstinence.My project aims to identify key facilitators and barriers tothe treatment of opioid addiction. It would use a mixedmethodapproach, analysing data from questionnaires,semi-structured interviews, and current literature. It ishoped the study would offer an understanding as to whythe number of completed detoxes is declining, and whatcan be done to support those wishing to detox or whosehealth may improve if abstinent. Findings would add hugevalue to the trial by aiding the interpretation of efficacydata, and can be embedded into future clinical and researchpractice.