BACKGROUND: Little is known about the characteristics that may predispose an individual to being at risk for fatal overdose from prescription opioids. OBJECTIVE: To identify characteristics related to unintentional prescription opioid overdose deaths in Utah. DESIGN: Interviews were conducted (October 2008-October 2009) with a relative or friend most knowledgeable about the decedent's life. SUBJECTS: Analyses involved 254 decedents aged 18 or older, where cause of death included overdose on at least one prescription opioid. KEY RESULTS: Decedents were more likely to be middle-aged, Caucasian, non-Hispanic/Latino, less educated, not married, or reside in rural areas than the general adult population in Utah. In the year prior to death, 87.4 % were prescribed prescription pain medication. Reported potential misuse prescription pain medication in the year prior to their death was high (e.g., taken more often than prescribed [52.9 %], obtained from more than one doctor during the previous year [31.6 %], and used for reasons other than treating pain [29.8 %, almost half of which "to get high"]). Compared with the general population, decedents were more likely to experience financial problems, unemployment, physical disability, mental illness (primarily depression), and to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, and use illicit drugs. The primary source of prescription pain medication was from a healthcare provider (91.8 %), but other sources (not mutually exclusive) included: for free from a friend or relative (24 %); from someone without their knowledge (18.2 %); purchase from a friend, relative, or acquaintance (16.4 %); and purchase from a dealer (not a pharmacy) (11.6 %). CONCLUSIONS: The large majority of decedents were prescribed opioids for management of chronic pain and many exhibited behaviors indicative of prescribed medication misuse. Financial problems, unemployment, physical disability, depression, and substance use (including illegal drugs) were also common.
BACKGROUND: Little is known about the characteristics that may predispose an individual to being at risk for fatal overdose from prescription opioids. OBJECTIVE: To identify characteristics related to unintentional prescription opioid overdose deaths in Utah. DESIGN: Interviews were conducted (October 2008-October 2009) with a relative or friend most knowledgeable about the decedent's life. SUBJECTS: Analyses involved 254 decedents aged 18 or older, where cause of death included overdose on at least one prescription opioid. KEY RESULTS: Decedents were more likely to be middle-aged, Caucasian, non-Hispanic/Latino, less educated, not married, or reside in rural areas than the general adult population in Utah. In the year prior to death, 87.4 % were prescribed prescription pain medication. Reported potential misuse prescription pain medication in the year prior to their death was high (e.g., taken more often than prescribed [52.9 %], obtained from more than one doctor during the previous year [31.6 %], and used for reasons other than treating pain [29.8 %, almost half of which "to get high"]). Compared with the general population, decedents were more likely to experience financial problems, unemployment, physical disability, mental illness (primarily depression), and to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, and use illicit drugs. The primary source of prescription pain medication was from a healthcare provider (91.8 %), but other sources (not mutually exclusive) included: for free from a friend or relative (24 %); from someone without their knowledge (18.2 %); purchase from a friend, relative, or acquaintance (16.4 %); and purchase from a dealer (not a pharmacy) (11.6 %). CONCLUSIONS: The large majority of decedents were prescribed opioids for management of chronic pain and many exhibited behaviors indicative of prescribed medication misuse. Financial problems, unemployment, physical disability, depression, and substance use (including illegal drugs) were also common.
Authors: Edward Michna; Edgar L Ross; Wilfred L Hynes; Srdjan S Nedeljkovic; Sharonah Soumekh; David Janfaza; Diane Palombi; Robert N Jamison Journal: J Pain Symptom Manage Date: 2004-09 Impact factor: 3.612
Authors: June H Kim; Julian Santaella-Tenorio; Christine Mauro; Julia Wrobel; Magdalena Cerdà; Katherine M Keyes; Deborah Hasin; Silvia S Martins; Guohua Li Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2016-09-15 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Gerald Cochran; Jennifer L Bacci; Thomas Ylioja; Valerie Hruschak; Sharon Miller; Amy L Seybert; Ralph Tarter Journal: J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) Date: 2016-03-24
Authors: Christopher M Jones; Melinda Campopiano; Grant Baldwin; Elinore McCance-Katz Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2015-06-11 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Nicholas B King; Veronique Fraser; Constantina Boikos; Robin Richardson; Sam Harper Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2014-06-12 Impact factor: 9.308