Association Between Pre-Injury Opioid Use and Opioid Use Patterns After a Work Injury.

Am J Ind Med

Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.

Published: December 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • A study examined long-term opioid prescribing patterns among workers after work-related injuries, focusing on those who had received opioids before their injury.
  • The research found that a significant number of workers continued to receive opioids after their injury, especially if they had been prescribed opioids in the three months leading up to the injury.
  • Results indicated that 34% of workers with prior opioid prescriptions were still receiving opioids 9-12 months after their injury, compared to only 7% of those without prior use, highlighting the need for healthcare providers to consider a patient’s history with opioids when treating work injuries.

Article Abstract

Background: Few studies have assessed long-term opioid prescribing after a work-related injury. There is limited information about opioid prescriptions before an injury and how receipt of opioids before a work injury is associated with long-term opioid prescribing. We present patterns of long-term opioid prescription among workers after an injury, overall, and by pre-injury opioid use.

Methods: We used linked workers' compensation and prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) data to identify workers injured between July 2019 and June 2020 with an opioid prescription dispensed within 6 weeks after injury. Opioid prescribing was assessed for the 3 months before injury and for 1 year after injury or claim closure, whichever came first.

Results: Among injured workers with an opioid in the first 6 weeks, 23% had opioids 6-12 weeks after injury, 19% had opioids 3-6 months, 14% had opioids 6-9 months, and 12% had opioids 9-12 months after injury; 19% had opioids in the 3 months before injury. For workers with opioid prescription prior to injury, the percentage with opioids 9-12 months after injury was 34%, versus 7% among workers with no opioids in the 3 months before injury (p < 0.001). Receipt of chronic opioids (for at least 60 days) 9-12 months after injury was substantially higher among those with prior opioid prescription (20%) than in those with no prior opioids (0.4%) (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: We found a strong relationship between opioid prescription in the 3 months before a work injury and opioid prescribing after an injury. Healthcare providers should be vigilant to the important relationship between prior opioid use and longer-term opioid use after work-related injuries.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23683DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

months injury
20
injury
14
long-term opioid
12
opioid prescribing
12
opioid prescription
12
opioid
11
pre-injury opioid
8
work injury
8
opioids
8
weeks injury
8

Similar Publications

Objectives: We aimed to assess the stone free rate of flexible ureteroscopy and laser lithotripsy (FURL) in upper urinary tract stones (UUTS) >20 mm and the risk of complications from ureteral access sheath (UAS) usage.

Methods: This is a prospective randomized clinical trial that included patients with UUTS larger than 20 mm who underwent FURL after randomization into two groups: group A (UAS) and group B (non-UAS). Data were collected for patients' demographics, stone parameters, operative and postoperative complications, and the outcome of FURL regarding stone-free rate (SFR) and perioperative complications, with a 6-month follow-up.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A 4-year-old Siberian Husky was referred for bilateral hock trauma after being involved in a road traffic accident. The dog sustained a grade 3 shearing injury to the medial right hock with tibiotarsal subluxation, which was managed with a transarticular frame. The left hock sustained a rare open longitudinal split fracture of the lateral malleolus, resulting in lateral tarsocrural instability.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Aims: Presence of active hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may influence the outcome of patients treated for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), although this issue has never been adequately assessed in a large series of patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the presence of active HCV affects the survival of patients treated for HCC.

Methods: This study assessed the outcome of 3123 anti-HCV-positive patients with HCC, subdivided according to the presence of active HCV infection or previous sustained virological response (SVR).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: To investigate the incidence, demographic characteristics, etiologies, surgical interventions, hospital stays, and neurologic outcomes associated with watersport-related traumatic spinal cord injuries (TSCI) in New Zealand.

Methods: Retrospective study collected data from New Zealand's two spinal rehabilitation units, the Auckland Spinal Rehabilitation Unit (ASRU) and the Burwood Spinal Unit (BSU). It included adults aged over 16 years, between January 2007 and December 2021 with new TSCI secondary to traumatic watersport activities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Value driven outcome (VDO) assessment for the treatment of olecranon fractures.

Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol

January 2025

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Utah, 590 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA.

Purpose: Controversy remains about the ideal construct for certain olecranon fractures. The purpose of this study was to compare cost-effectiveness with the value driven outcomes tool between fixation strategies of olecranon fractures.

Methods: All surgically treated isolated proximal ulna fractures (CPT code 24,685) at a level 1 trauma center from 2013 to 2023 were retrospectively reviewed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!