Sverdlichenko I, Hawke LD, Henderson J, et al. - Youth who use opioids have a variety of social and co-occurring mental health and substance use issues, which can be addressed through integrated community-based services.

• Between 2008 and 2019, this study looked at 1,769 young people aged 14 to 24 who sought treatment at an urban treatment facility in Toronto, Ontario (ON).

• Youth who used opioids were more likely to report challenging social determinants of health, to use more substances than youth who did not use opioids, to start using substances earlier, and to use some substances more frequently.

• Youth who used opioids reported more co-occurring mental health and substance use issues than youth who did not use opioids.

• They also agreed that there were more traumas and that PTSD was a likely diagnosis.

• Youth opioid use was predicted by a lack of employment, education, or training, as well as a higher number of substances used.

• In terms of treatment motivation, youth who used opioids favoured more internal forms of motivation than youth who did not use opioids.