Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39905512›Full record

ArticleAddiction science & clinical practice2025

Perspectives of substance use disorder counselors on the benefits and drawbacks of medications for opioid use disorder.

Nicholas C Cardamone, Rebecca E Stewart, Kyle M Kampman, Steven C Marcus

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Addiction science & clinical practice, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Nicholas C CardamoneDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA. nicholas.cardamone@va.gov.ORCID 0000-0001-9854-8565
Rebecca E StewartDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Kyle M KampmanDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Steven C MarcusSchool of Social Policy and Practice, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Funding

Increasing the uptake of medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorderK23DA048167 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI STEWART, REBECCA E · 2019 to 2023
$975k
NIDA NIH HHS K23 DA048167NIDA NIH HHS K23DA048167
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMedications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are among the best tools available to combat the opioid epidemic. Yet, use of MOUD among people with opioid use disorder (OUD) remains low. Interventions to increase MOUD access in the United States have largely focused on improving organizational capacity and addressing funding barriers, yet stigma toward MOUD may inhibit uptake even where MOUD is readily available. Non-prescribing substance use disorder (SUD) treatment professionals (e.g. counselors) likely have considerable influence on a client's choice to initiate and adhere to MOUD, but beliefs that counselors convey about MOUD in interaction with clients are understudied. The current study explores what advantages and disadvantages that counselors communicate about buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone.

methodsFrom June to December 2021, we surveyed counselors from publicly-funded SUD treatment agencies under a municipality-wide mandate to offer MOUD to all clients with OUD. Counselors were asked to describe, in a free-response format, the most important advantages and disadvantages to communicate to their clients about taking buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone. Counselor responses were coded for one or more advantage and disadvantage.

resultsA total of 271 SUD counselors from 29 agencies in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area completed the survey, generating 1,995 advantages and disadvantages across three types of MOUD. The most frequently reported advantage across all three types of MOUD was their ability to reduce cravings and illicit drug use. The most frequently reported disadvantage related to the potential for some types of MOUD to develop long-term medication dependence.

conclusionsAs the availability and variety of MOUD treatment options continue to expand, it is important that SUD counselors are equipped with evidence-based recommendations for OUD care. We identified misalignments with the MOUD-prescribing evidence base and stigmatizing language toward MOUD within counselors' responses, highlighting the potential to refine training materials for MOUD and mitigate stigmatizing beliefs.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelCounselorsOpiate Substitution TreatmentOpioid-Related DisordersAdultAnalgesics, OpioidBuprenorphineFemaleHumansMaleMethadoneMiddle AgedNaltrexoneNarcotic AntagonistsSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited StatesAnalgesics, OpioidBuprenorphineMethadoneNaltrexoneNarcotic AntagonistsMedications for opioid use disorderMOUDOpioid use disorderStigmaSubstance use disorder counselors

Identifiers

PMID39905512
PMCPMC11792642

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.