Does the New Formulation of OxyContin® Deter Misuse? A Qualitative Analysis

Lesly-Marie Buer¹, Jennifer R. Havens² and Carl Leukefeld¹

¹Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky,

Lexington, Kentucky,

USA

²Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky,

Lexington, Kentucky,

USA

Address correspondence to Lesly-Marie Buer, Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky,

122 Medical Behavioral Science Building, Lexington, KY 40536

, USA. E-mail: lesly-marie.clevenger@uky.edu

The purpose of this qualitative study is to understand changing illicit drug use patterns in rural Appalachia since a new formulation of OxyContin® was released with the goal of deterring diversion and misuse. Participants (n = 25) from a longitudinal study of rural drug users (N = 192) were approached to participate in semistructured qualitative interviews between April and June 2011. The primary finding is that the majority of participants switched from using the original formulation OxyContin to immediate-release oxycodone. We discuss the implications and limitations of these findings.

Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/10826084.2013.866963