Background: Epidemiological research has indicated higher polysubstance use among individuals who misuse opioids in the United States. Polysubstance use is also associated with multiple emergency department (ED) engagements in intervention services. Less is known about polysubstance use among individuals who use opioids or were engaged in an ED setting as part of an opioid recovery intervention program. Examining emerging patterns of polysubstance use among individuals who use opioids may help shape policy and practice around developing drug markets and social norms. The objective of this study was to understand subpopulations who demonstrated distinct patterns of polysubstance use among participants in an ED Opioid Overdose Recovery Program (OORP) in New Jersey. Method: This study investigated patterns of polysubstance use among participants in a New Jersey OORP using latent class analysis (LCA; N = 1690; 70.2% male; 84.7% White non-Hispanic; meanage = 35.72 ± 11.95). Multinomial logistic regression analyses examined latent class (LC) membership based on clinically relevant indicators. Results: Five latent classes were identified (Model fit: L2 = 33.76, BIC = 4482.69, AIC = 4245.01, and the bootstrap L2p-value =0.27; standard R2 value of 0.85). Multinomial logistic regression analyses showed that subgroups with the greatest odds of prior OORP engagement related to those participants in subgroups with heroin and polysubstance use. Conclusion: It is critical to examine the heterogeneity among people engaging in prescription opioid use and polysubstance use in the United States. This study represents an important contribution in identifying polysubstance use LC membership groups and associations with clinically relevant indicators among those engaged in an opioid recovery program. Results can be valuable in understanding the nature of the larger epidemic and how it can be addressed.
Keywords: Polysubstance use; opioid use; overdose; peer recovery.