Prescription opioid initiation, correlates, and consequences among a sample of OEF/OIF military personnel

Abstract

Prescription opioid (PO) misuse represents a major health risk for many service members and veterans. This paper examines the pathways to misuse among a sample of U.S. veterans who recently returned from Iraq and Afghanistan to low-income, predominately minority sections of New York City. Recreational PO misuse was not common on deployment. Most PO misusers initiated use subsequent to PO use for pain management, an iatrogenic pathway. However, most PO users did not misuse them. Veterans that misused POs were more likely to have other reintegration problems including drug and alcohol use disorders, traumatic brain injury (TBI), unemployment, and homelessness.