Co-occurring opioid use disorder and serious mental illness: A selective literature review

Abstract

Objective: The overarching goal of this review is to provide a clinical overview of epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment, and to discuss the public health impact, social determinants including access to care, and implications for health care delivery and research. It is estimated that approximately 1 in 4 individuals suffering from a serious mental illness (SMI) may have a co-occurring opioid use disorder (OUD). In these individuals, the overall disease burden is higher and clinical outcomes are worse compared to those without a co-occurring illness, making an integrated approach to diagnosis and treatment an urgent priority.

Methods: We conducted a selective review of the literature to investigate prevalence, etiology for co-occurring OUD and SMI, and diagnostic and clinical guidelines in the United States, and consideration special populations.

Findings: Our findings suggest that, despite the high prevalence of co-occurring OUD and SMI, contemporary diagnostics and treatment approaches are underutilized in this patient population. The literature also suggests that both pharmacological and psychosocial treatment approaches need to be tailored to optimize clinical management, and that integrated treatment is pivotal for improving overall outcomes, yet comprehensive clinical guidelines for co-occurring OUD and SMI are lacking at this time.

Keywords: co-occurring OUD and SMI; mental illness; opioid use disorder; opioids; serious mental illness.