Significant clinical differences between two populations of opioid-addicted mothers from an inner-city and a provincial clinic

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to explore parity and parenting in opioid-dependent women in community-based inner-city and urban drug treatment services.

Method: Female opioid addicts from two drug and alcohol services were interviewed using an adapted version of the Maudsley Addiction Profile (MAP) and the HIV Risk-Taking Behaviour Scale (HRBS).

Results: Forty female opioid addicts took part. The inner-city participants were three times more likely to be dependent on cocaine (71%% vs. 28%%; p < 0.05) than those from the provincial unit. Children from the provincial service were significantly more likely to be living with a family member (70%% vs. 35%%; p < 0.05).

Conclusion: There were clinically relevant differences between the two populations regarding substance use behaviour and parenting. This has significant relevance to the generalizability of research from specialized, inner-city research centres to more typical services.

• Parity
• parenting
• addicts
• opioid
• pregnancy

Acknowledgements

The project was part of an MSc in Substance Misuse for Ms Nnenna Eke, which was supervised by Dr Kim Wolff of the Institute of Psychiatry (King's College London, London) who was the principal applicant to the ethics committee at the Maudsley Hospital site. Dr Jason Luty was co-supervisor and principal applicant to the ethics committee at the South Essex site.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper. Funding was provided entirely by the authors.