Assessment of Attitudes Towards Medication-Assisted Drug Treatment Options among an Incarcerated Population

ABSTRACT Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is the state-of-the-art approach to treating opioid use disorder (OUD). Although OUD is prevalent among justice-involved populations, their attitudes toward MAT are largely unknown. Injectable extended release naltrexone (XR-NTX) is a MAT option, that is, unlike others, an opioid antagonist. We assess beliefs about XR-NTX as compared to methadone, a gold-standard pure opioid agonist MAT modality, in a sample of incarcerated men and women. Self-report data were collected from randomly selected adults (n = 1,570) residing in therapeutic communities (TCs) in 23 state correctional facilities. Distinct instruments addressed XR-NTX (n = 830) and methadone (n = 741). Prior knowledge and exposure to XR-NTX, and race, were significantly associated with positive beliefs about XR-NTX. Addiction history, race, beliefs about behavioral change, and a preference for injection over oral medications were positively associated with the average likelihood of opting for post-release XR-NTX treatment. Implications for health and correctional policy are discussed.