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A recent study from Glasgow Caledonian University highlights a critical intervention for reducing suicide rates in individuals with opioid use disorder: opioid agonist therapy (OAT). Conducted on a cohort of over 45,000 patients in Scotland, the study reveals that individuals on OAT—treatment involving methadone or buprenorphine—are significantly less likely to die by suicide compared to those not receiving this therapy. This finding provides strong evidence in favor of sustained OAT as a life-saving measure in an at-risk population.
The study, published in Addiction, examined 46,453 individuals with opioid dependence who received OAT at some point between 2011 and 2020. Among this group, 575 individuals, or 1.2%, died by suicide. Importantly, the researchers found that suicide rates were over three times higher for those not actively receiving OAT, indicating a marked protective effect of continuous treatment. The methodology assumed that any suicide occurring more than 60 days after a patient’s last OAT prescription happened while they were not under active OAT management, further underscoring the potential gap in suicide prevention during lapses in treatment.
This finding is crucial because it underscores the role of OAT not only in managing opioid dependence but also in reducing the risk of suicide in a highly vulnerable population. According to lead researcher Rosalyn Fraser, OAT provides stability in drug use, fosters access to additional support services, and helps reduce social isolation, all of which contribute to a lower risk of suicide. Professor Andrew McAuley, a senior researcher on the study, added that even as overdose deaths have increased in Scotland, suicide rates among opioid-dependent individuals on OAT have declined, suggesting OAT retention as a critical intervention in both suicide and overdose prevention strategies.
This research adds weight to the argument for expanding and maintaining access to OAT as a public health priority. In populations with opioid dependence—already at a significantly higher risk of suicide compared to the general population—OAT can serve as a stabilizing force that not only addresses addiction but also mitigates associated mental health risks.