Driving and legal status of Spanish opioid-dependent patients
Por:
Roncero, C, Alvarez, FJ, Barral, C, Gomez-Baeza, S, Gonzalvo, B, Rodriguez-Cintas, L, Brugal, MT, Jacas, C, Romaguera, A, Casas, M
Publicada:
3 jun 2013
Resumen:
Background: Opioid dependent patients have legal problems, driving violations and accidents more frequently than the general population. We have hypothesized that those patients currently driving may have better legal outcomes than those who do not possess a valid driving license. With this aim we have analyzed the information gathered in the PROTEUS study regarding the legal and driving statuses and assessed the possible association between them. The PROTEUS study was an observational, cross-sectional, descriptive, multicenter nationwide representative study, conducted in Spanish healthcare centers for opioid dependent patients.
Findings: The driving and legal statuses of a population of opioid dependent patients >= 18 years and enrolled in Opioid Agonist Therapy treatment centers in Spain, were assessed using a short specific questionnaire and the EuropASI questionnaire to highlight distinct individual clinical needs. 621 patients were evaluable (84% men, 24.5% active workers). 321 patients (52%) drove on a regular basis. Nineteen percent of patients had some problem with the criminal justice system. There was a significant difference (p = 0.0433) in status, according to the criminal justice system, between patients who drove on a regular basis and those who did not, with a higher percentage of patients with non-pending charges among usual drivers.
Conclusions: Regular drivers showed fewer legal problems than non-regular drivers, with the exception of those related to driving (driving violations and drunk driving). Driving is a good prognostic factor for the social integration of the patients and policies should be implemented to enable these patients to drive safely under medical authorization. The legal description will be useful to assess treatment efficacy.
Filiaciones:
Roncero, C:
Vall dHebron Univ Hosp, Barcelona Publ Hlth Agcy ASPB, Outpatient Drug Clin, Dept Psychiat, Barcelona 08035, Spain
Univ Autonoma Barcelona, Dept Psychiat & Legal Med, Barcelona 08042, Spain
Vall dHebron Univ Hosp, CIBERSAM, Dept Psychiat, Barcelona 08035, Spain
Alvarez, FJ:
Univ Valladolid, Ctr Alcohol & Drugs Studies, Fac Med, Dept Pharmacol, E-47005 Valladolid, Spain
Barral, C:
Vall dHebron Univ Hosp, Barcelona Publ Hlth Agcy ASPB, Outpatient Drug Clin, Dept Psychiat, Barcelona 08035, Spain
Vall dHebron Univ Hosp, CIBERSAM, Dept Psychiat, Barcelona 08035, Spain
Gomez-Baeza, S:
Vall dHebron Univ Hosp, Barcelona Publ Hlth Agcy ASPB, Outpatient Drug Clin, Dept Psychiat, Barcelona 08035, Spain
Gonzalvo, B:
Vall dHebron Univ Hosp, Barcelona Publ Hlth Agcy ASPB, Outpatient Drug Clin, Dept Psychiat, Barcelona 08035, Spain
Rodriguez-Cintas, L:
Vall dHebron Univ Hosp, Barcelona Publ Hlth Agcy ASPB, Outpatient Drug Clin, Dept Psychiat, Barcelona 08035, Spain
Brugal, MT:
Barcelona Publ Hlth Agcy ASPB, Barcelona 08023, Spain
Inst Invest Biomed IIB St Pau, Barcelona 08025, Spain
CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain
Jacas, C:
Univ Autonoma Barcelona, Dept Psychiat & Legal Med, Barcelona 08042, Spain
Vall dHebron Univ Hosp, CIBERSAM, Dept Psychiat, Barcelona 08035, Spain
Romaguera, A:
Vall dHebron Univ Hosp, Barcelona Publ Hlth Agcy ASPB, Outpatient Drug Clin, Dept Psychiat, Barcelona 08035, Spain
Casas, M:
Univ Autonoma Barcelona, Dept Psychiat & Legal Med, Barcelona 08042, Spain
Vall dHebron Univ Hosp, CIBERSAM, Dept Psychiat, Barcelona 08035, Spain
Gold, Green Published, All Open Access, Green
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