The association between mental disorders and treatment retention among people with opioid use disorder receiving opioid agonist treatment: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Tran, L. T., McKetin, R., Clark, B., Macdonald, C., Zahra, E., Arunogiri, S., Montebello, M. E., & Degenhardt, L. (2025). The association between mental disorders and treatment retention among people with opioid use disorder receiving opioid agonist treatment: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 274, Article 112768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2025.112768

In consideration of the benefits of continued retention in opioid agonist treatment (OAT), including reduced mortality, and the high prevalence of comorbid mental disorders among people with opioid use disorder (OUD), it is important to understand if and how OAT retention differs for people with mental disorders and symptoms.

A better understanding of how mental disorders at baseline are related to OAT retention can help identify, from the beginning of treatment, any key treatment considerations that could improve treatment outcomes.

This systematic review and meta-analysis quantified the association between baseline mental disorders or symptoms and treatment retention in buprenorphine and methadone among people with OUD, both for any and specific types of mental disorder comorbidity.

Read the full study in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

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