Dataset Information

Association of Opioid Prescriptions From Dental Clinicians for US Adolescents and Young Adults With Subsequent Opioid Use and Abuse.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Through prescription writing, dental clinicians are a potential source of initial opioid exposure and subsequent abuse for adolescents and young adults.

Objective

To examine the association between index dental opioid prescriptions from dental clinicians for opioid-naive adolescents and young adults in 2015 and new persistent use and subsequent diagnoses of abuse in this population.

Design, setting, and participants

This retrospective cohort study examined outpatient opioid prescriptions for patients aged 16 to 25 years in the Optum Research Database in 2015. Prescriptions were linked by National Provider Identifier number to a clinician category.

Exposures

Individuals were included in the index dental opioid (opioid-exposed) cohort if they filled an opioid prescription from a dental clinician in 2015, had continuous health plan coverage and no record of opioid prescriptions for 12 months before receiving the prescription, and had 12 months of health plan coverage after receiving the prescription. Two age- and sex-matched opioid-nonexposed control individuals were selected for each opioid-exposed individual and were assigned a corresponding phantom prescription date.

Main outcomes and measures

Receipt of an opioid prescription within 90 to 365 days, a health care encounter diagnosis associated with opioid abuse within 365 days, and all-cause mortality within 365 days of the index opioid or phantom prescription date.

Results

Among 754 002 individuals with continuous enrollment in 2015, 97 462 patients (12.9%) received 1 or more opioid prescriptions, of whom 29 791 (30.6%) received prescriptions supplied by a dental clinician. The opioid-exposed cohort included 14 888 participants (7882 women [52.9%], 11 273 white [75.7%], with mean [SD] age, 21.8 [2.4] years), and the randomly selected opioid-nonexposed cohort included 29 776 participants (15 764 women [52.9%], 20 078 [67.4%] white, with mean [SD] age, 21.8 [2.4] years). Among the 14 888 individuals in the index dental opioid cohort, 1021 (6.9%) received another opioid prescription 90 to 365 days later compared with 30 of 29 776 (0.1%) opioid-nonexposed controls (adjusted absolute risk difference, 6.8%; 95% CI, 6.3%-7.2%), and 866 opioid-exposed individuals (5.8%) experienced 1 or more subsequent health care encounters with an opioid abuse-related diagnosis compared with 115 opioid-nonexposed controls (0.4%) (adjusted absolute risk difference, 5.3%; 95% CI, 5.0%-5.7%). There was only 1 death in each cohort.

Conclusions and relevance

The findings suggest that a substantial proportion of adolescents and young adults are exposed to opioids through dental clinicians. Use of these prescriptions may be associated with an increased risk of subsequent opioid use and abuse.

SUBMITTER: Schroeder AR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6439650 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundAdolescents and young adults (AYA) with sarcoma experience both acute and chronic pain related to their disease and treatment. Studies in older adults have reported a high risk of persistent opioid use after cancer therapy among previously opioid-naive patients; however, few studies have evaluated posttreatment opioid use among AYAs. This article describes patterns of new persistent opioid use among AYAs in the year after treatment for sarcoma.MethodsOpioid-naive patients who were 10 to 26 years old and diagnosed with sarcoma (2008-2016) were identified with the IBM Marketscan Database. Included subjects had an International Classification of Diseases code for sarcoma (ninth or tenth revision), received anticancer therapy (chemotherapy, surgery, and/or radiation) within 30 days of the first diagnosis code, and had continuous insurance coverage (commercial or Medicaid) for more than 12 months both before the diagnosis and after the last therapy. The primary outcome was new persistent opioid use, which was defined as at least 2 opioid prescriptions in the 12 months following treatment completion. Covariates included age, sex, insurance, tumor type, surgical procedure, mental health (MH) or substance use diagnoses before or during therapy, and concomitant lorazepam use.ResultsIn total, 938 patients met the inclusion criteria; 521 (56%) were male, and 578 (62%) were younger than 18 years. In total, 727 (78%) had commercial insurance, and 273 (29%) had an MH diagnosis either before or during the treatment period. Of the total group, 464 (49%) used opioids during treatment only. Of those who used opioids during treatment, 135 (23%) received at least 2 prescriptions in the year after therapy. In a multivariable analysis, Medicaid versus commercial insurance (odds ratio [OR], 1.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-2.64) and non-soft tissue sarcoma (OR for Ewing sarcoma, 3.23; 95% CI, 1.81-5.78; OR for osteosarcoma, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.36-3.09) conferred a higher likelihood of new persistent use.ConclusionsIn this cohort of AYAs treated for sarcoma, 64% of the patients received opioid prescriptions during treatment, and 23% of these patients became new persistent users. Because of the risks associated with persistent opioid use, studies of novel pain management strategies along with age-appropriate education and anticipatory guidance are urgently needed.Lay summaryUsing an insurance claims database, we conducted a study to determine the rate of new persistent opioid use among adolescents and young adults treated for sarcoma. We found that 64% of adolescents and young adults treated for sarcoma received opioid prescriptions during treatment, and 23% of these patients met the criteria for new persistent opioid use. These findings support the need for age-appropriate education and novel pain management strategies in this vulnerable population.

Project description:Importance:Prior studies have found a substantial risk of persistent opioid use among adolescents and young adults undergoing surgical and dental procedures. It is unknown whether family-level factors, such as long-term opioid use in family members, is associated with persistent opioid use. Objective:To determine whether long-term opioid use in family members is associated with persistent opioid use among opioid-naive adolescents and young adults undergoing surgical and dental procedures. Design, Setting, and Participants:This retrospective cohort study used data from a commercial insurance claims database for January 1, 2010, to June 30, 2016, to study 346 251 opioid-naive patients aged 13 to 21 years who underwent 1 of 11 surgical and dental procedures and who were dependents on a family insurance plan. Exposures:Long-term opioid use in family members, defined as having 1 or more family members who (1) filled opioid prescriptions totaling a 120 days' supply or more during the 12 months before the procedure date or (2) filled 3 or more opioid prescriptions in the 90 days before the procedure date. Main Outcomes and Measures:The main outcome measure was persistent opioid use, defined as 1 or more postoperative prescription opioid fills between 91 and 180 days among patients with an initial opioid prescription fill. Generalized estimating equations with robust SEs clustered at the family level were used to model persistent opioid use as a function of long-term opioid use among family members, controlling for procedure, total morphine milligram equivalents of the initial fill, and patient and family characteristics. Results:A total of 346 251 patients (mean [SD] age, 17.0 [2.3] years; 175 541 [50.7%] female) were studied. Among these patients, 257 085 (74.3%) had an initial opioid fill. Among patients with an initial opioid fill, 11 016 (4.3%) had long-term opioid use in a family member. Persistent opioid use occurred in 453 patients (4.1%) with long-term opioid use in a family member compared with 5940 patients (2.4%) without long-term opioid use in a family member (adjusted odds ratio, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.39-1.71). Conclusion and Relevance:The findings suggest that long-term opioid use among family members is associated with persistent opioid use among opioid-naive adolescents and young adults undergoing surgical and dental procedures. Physicians should screen young patients for long-term opioid use in their families and implement heightened efforts to prevent opioid dependence among patients with this important risk factor.

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Project description:ImportanceOpioid use disorder (OUD) frequently begins in adolescence and young adulthood. Intervening early with pharmacotherapy is recommended by major professional organizations. No prior national studies have examined the extent to which adolescents and young adults (collectively termed youth) with OUD receive pharmacotherapy.ObjectiveTo identify time trends and disparities in receipt of buprenorphine and naltrexone among youth with OUD in the United States.Design, setting, and participantsA retrospective cohort study was conducted using deidentified data from a national commercial insurance database. Enrollment and complete health insurance claims of 9.7 million youth, aged 13 to 25 years were analyzed, identifying individuals who received a diagnosis of OUD between January 1, 2001, and June 30, 2014, with final follow-up date December 31, 2014. Analysis was conducted from April 25 to December 31, 2016. Time trends were identified and multivariable logistic regression was used to determine sociodemographic factors associated with medication receipt.ExposuresSex, age, race/ethnicity, neighborhood education and poverty levels, geographic region, census region, and year of diagnosis.Main outcomes and measuresDispensing of a medication (buprenorphine or naltrexone) within 6 months of first receiving an OUD diagnosis.ResultsAmong 20 822 youth diagnosed with OUD (0.2% of the 9.7 million sample), 13 698 (65.8%) were male and 17 119 (82.2%) were non-Hispanic white. Mean (SD) age was 21.0 (2.5) years at the first observed diagnosis. The diagnosis rate of OUD increased nearly 6-fold from 2001 to 2014 (from 0.26 per 100 000 person-years to 1.51 per 100 000 person-years). Overall, 5580 (26.8%) youth were dispensed a medication within 6 months of diagnosis, with 4976 (89.2%) of medication-treated youth receiving buprenorphine and 604 (10.8%) receiving naltrexone. Medication receipt increased more than 10-fold, from 3.0% in 2002 (when buprenorphine was introduced) to 31.8% in 2009, but declined in subsequent years (27.5% in 2014). In multivariable analyses, younger individuals were less likely to receive medications, with adjusted probability for age 13 to 15 years, 1.4% (95% CI, 0.4%-2.3%); 16 to 17 years, 9.7% (95% CI, 8.4%-11.1%); 18 to 20 years, 22.0% (95% CI, 21.0%-23.0%); and 21 to 25 years, 30.5% (95% CI, 30.0%-31.5%) (P < .001 for difference). Females (7124 [20.3%]) were less likely than males (13 698 [24.4%]) to receive medications (P < .001), as were non-Hispanic black (105 [14.8%]) and Hispanic (1165 [20.0%]) youth compared with non-Hispanic white (17 119 [23.1%]) youth (P < .001).Conclusions and relevanceIn this first national study of buprenorphine and naltrexone receipt among youth, dispensing increased over time. Nonetheless, only 1 in 4 commercially insured youth with OUD received pharmacotherapy, and disparities based on sex, age, and race/ethnicity were observed.

Project description:ImportanceThe ongoing overdose crisis continues to adversely affect adolescents and young adults (AYAs) and has led to numerous preventable deaths. Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), such as methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone, have the potential to reduce opioid use and associated harms; however, there are concerns that AYAs lack access to these potentially life-saving medications.ObjectiveTo systematically review peer-reviewed literature on MOUD access and associated factors to synthesize strategies that can improve MOUD access for AYAs who use opioids.Evidence reviewThe MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science, and Global Dissertations & Theses databases were searched from database inception until May 3, 2021. English, French, Russian, or Spanish peer-reviewed studies that evaluated the availability, prescription receipt, or initiation of MOUD were eligible for inclusion.FindingsThis systematic review identified 37 cohort (n = 17), cross-sectional (n = 15), and qualitative (n = 5) studies that accounted for 179 785 AYAs (mean [SD] age, 24.4 [3.9] years; 148 779 [85%] were female; 67 771 [84%] were White) and examined access to methadone (30 studies), buprenorphine (26 studies), and naltrexone (10 studies). Findings reinforce concerns that AYAs were less likely to access MOUD and suggest that adolescents were more likely to receive naltrexone or buprenorphine-naloxone, which have a lower potential for abuse, in comparison with young adults. This review also identified other factors that were associated with MOUD access, including criminal justice involvement, residing in the US South, living in a limited-income area, Black race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, suggesting ways in which treatment services may be improved to increase MOUD access and meet the treatment goals of AYAs.Conclusion and relevanceThis systematic review found gaps in MOUD access between AYAs and non-AYA populations in addition to differences in MOUD access between adolescents and young adults. Considering that existing clinical guidelines recommend the use of MOUD among AYAs, and in light of the increasing number of opioid toxicity deaths, there is a need to improve MOUD access among AYAs by reducing barriers to MOUD and providing AYAs with a continuum of health and social supports alongside MOUD. Future research into ways to encourage MOUD uptake among AYAs may improve the treatment and health outcomes for this population.

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