"I wanted something that was more flexible": A qualitative study of patient preferences on choosing buprenorphine over methadone in a large, safety-net hospital opioid treatment program.

Background: Buprenorphine availability for the treatment of opioid use disorders (OUD) has expanded in the United States. Programs that previously offered only methadone treatment to patients with OUD now offer an equal choice between buprenorphine and methadone at the same location, yet little is known about patient preferences for buprenorphine over methadone in these settings. We sought to understand the decision-making factors and motivations underlying why patients opt for buprenorphine over methadone for the treatment of OUD when both are offered in a safety-net hospital-based opioid treatment program (OTP). Methods: We conducted semi-structured, qualitative interviews with patients receiving buprenorphine, in which we asked about substance use and treatment history, reasons for choosing buprenorphine, advantages, and disadvantages of choosing buprenorphine, and what they would like to change in their treatment experience. Results: Participants had varied exposure to buprenorphine prior to their current treatment, ranging from none to years of experience in multiple settings. Increased flexibility with take-home doses was a widespread motivation for choosing buprenorphine over methadone. Participants described decreased sedation and greater effectiveness in preventing opioid use compared to methadone as advantages during their treatment with buprenorphine. Difficulty with the transition to buprenorphine was a noteworthy challenge for many. Conclusions: Overall, patients maintained on buprenorphine at an urban safety-net hospital OTP viewed their treatment favorably compared to methadone. Increased autonomy in light of federal regulation differences and an improved physical profile were significant decision-making factors, although the number of patients choosing buprenorphine at the OTP remained low. Targeted patient education about induction and focus on improving structural barriers such as dosing efficiency may enhance patient experiences.

Assessment of Blood Donation and Transfusion in Eastern Uganda: A Mixed-Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Blood and blood products are essential in the management of injuries, medical illnesses, and childbirth. Chronic shortages in the blood supply perpetuates the high levels of morbidity and mortality from injury and treatable diseases. Patients in low- and middle-income countries are frequently unable to access blood units necessary for transfusion in a timely manner. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to gain insight into the community and hospital factors that contribute to the observed insufficient supply of blood units available for transfusion at a regional referral hospital in rural Eastern Uganda. METHODS: A mixed-methods approach was utilized; community members were surveyed on knowledge, attitudes, and practices of blood donation and health professionals were queried on hospital factors affecting blood transfusions. Transfusion records were prospectively collected and analyzed, and the pathway of a single blood unit was observed and recorded. FINDINGS: Among the 82 community members that were surveyed, knowledge was poor (<50% correct) regarding age, weight, and volume of blood to be able to donate, but participants were overall knowledgeable on general characteristics that would exclude individuals from donating blood. Major themes elicited during qualitative interviews included a positive attitude towards and lack of information regarding blood donation. Health professionals expressed frustration in delayed testing of transfusion transmissible infections. The majority of blood transfusions were allocated to female patients (55.8%) and children under five years of age (33.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Broadened inclusion and education of the general population in blood donation and increased outreach programs may be promising interventions to increase the blood supply at the Soroti Regional Referral Hospital. To reduce the current bottleneck seen in TTI testing, the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of local TTI testing technology should be investigated further.

The Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia in Down Syndrome (BPSD-DS) Scale: Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathology in Down Syndrome.

People with Down syndrome (DS) are prone to develop Alzheimer's disease (AD). Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are core features, but have not been comprehensively evaluated in DS. In a European multidisciplinary study, the novel Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia in Down Syndrome (BPSD-DS) scale was developed to identify frequency and severity of behavioral changes taking account of life-long characteristic behavior. 83 behavioral items in 12 clinically defined sections were evaluated. The central aim was to identify items that change in relation to the dementia status, and thus may differentiate between diagnostic groups. Structured interviews were conducted with informants of persons with DS without dementia (DS, n = 149), with questionable dementia (DS+Q, n = 65), and with diagnosed dementia (DS+AD, n = 67). First exploratory data suggest promising interrater, test-retest, and internal consistency reliability measures. Concerning item relevance, group comparisons revealed pronounced increases in frequency and severity in items of anxiety, sleep disturbances, agitation & stereotypical behavior, aggression, apathy, depressive symptoms, and eating/drinking behavior. The proportion of individuals presenting an increase was highest in DS+AD, intermediate in DS+Q, and lowest in DS. Interestingly, among DS+Q individuals, a substantial proportion already presented increased anxiety, sleep disturbances, apathy, and depressive symptoms, suggesting that these changes occur early in the course of AD. Future efforts should optimize the scale based on current results and clinical experiences, and further study applicability, reliability, and validity. Future application of the scale in daily care may aid caregivers to understand changes, and contribute to timely interventions and adaptation of caregiving.