Table 6 Socio-demographic and substance use profile and use of other medication by patients in treatment for substance use disorders in Belgium, who have been prescribed gabapentin between 2008 and 2014, and a sub-sample of patients who might have used gabapentin at a dose that could indicate abuse
Prescribed gabapentin (N = 649) | Abuse gabapentin (N = 56) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
N | % | N | % | |
Regiona | ||||
Flanders | 403 | 62.1% | 36 | 64.3% |
Wallonia | 200 | 30.8% | 16 | 28.6% |
Brussels | 46 | 7.1% | 4 | 7.1% |
Program type | ||||
Medical Social Care Center | 31 | 4.8% | 3 | 5.4% |
Specialized outpatient service | 69 | 10.6% | 4 | 7.1% |
Crisis center | 12 | 1.9% | 0 | 0.0% |
Therapeutic community | 31 | 4.8% | 2 | 3.6% |
Mental health service | 28 | 4.3% | 2 | 3.6% |
Psychiatric hospital | 266 | 41.0% | 24 | 42.9% |
General hospital | 212 | 32.7% | 21 | 37.5% |
Past treatment | ||||
No | 162 | 25.0% | 12 | 21.4% |
Yes | 455 | 70.1% | 42 | 75.0% |
Unknown/missing | 32 | 4.9% | 2 | 3.6% |
Source of referral | ||||
Own initiative | 293 | 45.2% | 30 | 53.6% |
Family or friends | 97 | 15.0% | 5 | 8.9% |
Outpatient center for substance use disorders | 10 | 1.5% | 0 | 0.0% |
General practitioner | 99 | 15.3% | 6 | 10.7% |
Hospital or other medical service | 93 | 14.3% | 12 | 21.4% |
Social service | 5 | 0.8% | 1 | 1.8% |
Police or justice | 36 | 5.6% | 0 | 0.0% |
Other | 8 | 1.2% | 2 | 3.6% |
Unknown/missing | 8 | 1.2% | 0 | 0.0% |
Education | ||||
No | 7 | 1.1% | 0 | 0.0% |
Primary education | 108 | 16.6% | 8 | 14.3% |
Secondary education | 383 | 59.0% | 31 | 55.4% |
Higher education | 100 | 15.4% | 11 | 19.6% |
Unknown/missing | 51 | 7.9% | 6 | 10.7% |
Main substance | ||||
Opiates | 5 | 0.8% | 1 | 1.8% |
Heroin | 36 | 5.6% | 0 | 0.0% |
Methadone | 9 | 1.4% | 1 | 1.8% |
Buprenorphine | 1 | 0.2% | 0 | 0.0% |
Other opiates | 8 | 1.2% | 1 | 1.8% |
Opioids (total) | (59) | (9.1%) | (3) | (5.4%) |
Cocaine | 27 | 4.2% | 1 | 1.8% |
Cocaine (other) | 5 | 0.8% | 0 | 0.0% |
Cocaine (total) | (32) | (4.9%) | (1) | (1.8%) |
Amphetamines | 15 | 2.3% | 0 | 0.0% |
Stimulants (other) | 2 | 0.3% | 0 | 0.0% |
Stimulants (total) | (17) | (2.6%) | (0) | (0.0%) |
Hypnotics and sedatives | 5 | 0.8% | 0 | 0.0% |
Barbiturates | 2 | 0.3% | 0 | 0.0% |
Benzodiazepines | 44 | 6.8% | 4 | 7.1% |
Other hypnotics and sedatives | 8 | 1.2% | 0 | 0.0% |
Hypnotics and sedatives (total) | (59) | (9.1%) | (4) | (7.1%) |
Cannabis | 42 | 6.5% | 2 | 3.6% |
Alcohol | 423 | 65.2% | 45 | 80.4% |
Other | 17 | 2.6% | 1 | 1.8% |
Frequency of use main substance | ||||
Not used in the last month | 41 | 6.3% | 1 | 1.8% |
Once per week or less | 30 | 4.6% | 3 | 5.4% |
Two to six times per week | 90 | 13.9% | 8 | 14.3% |
Daily | 451 | 69.5% | 41 | 73.2% |
Unknown/missing | 37 | 5.7% | 3 | 5.4% |
Age first use main substance | ||||
Median age | 18 | 17.5 | ||
Ever injecting behavior | ||||
Ever injected but not currently | 41 | 6.3% | 2 | 3.6% |
Currently injecting | 18 | 2.8% | 2 | 3.6% |
Never injected | 481 | 74.1% | 40 | 71.4% |
Unknown/missing | 109 | 16.8% | 12 | 21.4% |
Year of start treatment | ||||
2011 | 109 | 16.8% | 9 | 16.1% |
2012 | 174 | 26.8% | 16 | 28.6% |
2013 | 167 | 25.7% | 12 | 21.4% |
2014 | 199 | 30.7% | 19 | 33.9% |
Nationality | ||||
Belgian | 614 | 94.6% | 53 | 94.6% |
EU citizen but not Belgian | 11 | 1.7% | 3 | 5.4% |
Non-EU citizen | 10 | 1.5% | 0 | 0.0% |
Unknown/missing | 14 | 2.2% | 0 | 0.0% |
Professional situation | ||||
Regular job | 83 | 12.8% | 4 | 7.1% |
Student | 4 | 0.6% | 1 | 1.8% |
Economically non-active | 426 | 65.6% | 41 | 73.2% |
Unemployed | 85 | 13.1% | 6 | 10.7% |
Other | 29 | 4.5% | 4 | 7.1% |
Unknown/missing | 22 | 3.4% | 0 | 0.0% |