Williams J, Girdler S, PhD, Williams W, Cromeens MG. (2020). The effects of co-occurring interpersonal trauma and gender on opioid use and misuse. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. doi: 10.1177/0886260519900309
Researchers recruited 235 participants aged 18 years or older with a history of interpersonal trauma (IPT) (i.e. intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and/or adverse childhood experiences) from North Carolina to participate in a pilot study of the effects of co-occurrent IPT and gender on prescription opioid use and opioid misuse. Participant recruitment occurred through online research volunteer listservs and advertisements in pain management clinics, substance use treatment centers, and domestic violence shelters. Consented participants reported IPT exposure, prescription opioid use, and opioid misuse in an online survey. A quarter of participants misused opioids and 60% had experienced all 3 forms of IPT at least once. In a full sample model (controlling for gender and IPT exposure), intimate partner violence and adverse childhood experiences correlated with opioid misuse. Sexual assault did not correlate with opioid misuse. None of the 3 forms of IPT correlated with prescription opioid use. When stratified by gender, only adverse childhood experiences correlated with opioid misuse in women. In men, only intimate partner violence correlated with opioid misuse, and a negative correlation emerged between sexual assault and opioid misuse. Only poly-victimized women with exposure to both intimate partner violence and sexual assault exhibited increased odds of prescription opioid use (but not opioid misuse). Results highlight the complex association between gender and co-occurrent IPT in prescription opioid use and opioid misuse.