Are opioid prescription rates changing for US adolescents?
A new analysis reveals that rates of opioid prescribing to US adolescents have decreased in recent years, primarily limited to non-surgery indications. Opioid prescription rates for surgery have remained stable.
The analysis, which is published in Pediatric Anesthesia, assessed data from the 2015–2020 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys, which are nationally representative, large-scale surveys conducted annually by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Among 26,909 children aged 10–19 years, 4.7% underwent a surgical procedure in 2015–2020. The surgery rate remained stable between 2015 (4.3%) and 2020 (4.4%) and was lower among minorities.
The combined rate of opioid prescribing for surgical and nonsurgical indications decreased from 4.1% of adolescents in 2015 to 1.4% in 2020. Opioid prescribing for surgery remained relatively stable, however (1% in 2015 and 0.8% in 2020), indicating that the surgical population is becoming a more prominent source of adolescents’ overall opioid prescriptions.
The authors call for studies to explore whether associations exist between postsurgical opioid prescribing and the development of problematic opioid use behaviors in youth.
“Adolescence is a critical period for brain development, placing them at increased risk for opioid misuse. Opioids can be highly addictive, so understanding prescribing patterns is crucial for mitigating risks,” said corresponding author Cornelius B. Groenewald, MB, ChB, of Seattle Children’s Hospital. “There are increasing data suggesting that opioid prescription post-surgery can lead to problematic opioid use, even in previously opioid-naïve patients; however, undertreatment of postsurgical pain is also a significant problem among adolescents. As surgical procedures are often the first encounter adolescents may have with opioid medications, understanding these prescriptions is important.”
URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pan.14753
Additional Information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com.
About the Journal
Pediatric Anesthesia's mission is to advance the science and clinical practice of paediatric anaesthesia, pain management and peri-operative medicine through dissemination of research, education and quality improvement.
About Wiley
Wiley is a knowledge company and a global leader in research, publishing, and knowledge solutions. Dedicated to the creation and application of knowledge, Wiley serves the world’s researchers, learners, innovators, and leaders, helping them achieve their goals and solve the world's most important challenges. For more than two centuries, Wiley has been delivering on its timeless mission to unlock human potential. Visit us at Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
JOURNAL
Pediatric Anesthesia
ARTICLE TITLE
Opioid prescription rates associated with surgery among adolescents in the USA from 2015-2020
ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE
4-Oct-2023
No comments:
Post a Comment