Influence of Attitudes on Recovery Residence Acceptance and Use of Medication for Opioid Use Disorder

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) attitudes and MOUD use in recovery residences (RRs). It was hypothesized that RR leaders with positive attitudes about MOUD will report more types of MOUD accepted in their RR, and greater MOUD use among their residents, than leaders with negative attitudes. METHOD: Data for this study were collected through an online survey of RR owners, operators, and managers in 20 states in the United States (n = 128). MOUD attitudes were assessed with 2 scales developed for this study. Both ideological (α = .90) and logistical (α = .77) attitudes scales showed good internal reliability. Poisson and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression were used to examine the association between MOUD attitudes, and the number of medications accepted and used in RRs, holding constant participant's time in role, RR level, proportion of non-white residents, bed number, whether the RR accepts females, and state. RESULTS: Most participants reported that their RR accepted MOUD (92%) and a little under half preferred certain types of MOUD (46%). The Poisson and OLS regression revealed that more positive ideology toward MOUD was significantly associated with increases in both the total number of medications accepted in the RR and the extent of MOUD use among residents. IMPLICATIONS: Attitudes of RR leadership relate to MOUD practices among RR residents. Changing leaders' attitudes could influence the integration of MOUD use in RRs.