Proportion of opioid use due to compensated workers' compensation claims in Manitoba, Canada. Issue 1 (21st August 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kraut, Allen; Shafer, Leigh Anne; Raymond, Colette B.
• Is Part Of: American journal of industrial medicine. Volume 58:Issue 1(2015:Jan.)
• Page Start: 33
• Page End: 39
• Publication Date: 2014-08-21
• Subjects: Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Médecine du travail -- Périodiques; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22374
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0271-3586

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="ajim22374-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>This study identifies the percentage of opioids prescribed for compensated workplace conditions in Manitoba, Canada and whether Workers Compensation Board (WCB) status is associated with higher prescription opioid doses.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajim22374-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Opioid prescriptions for WCB recipients were linked with databases housed at the Manitoba Center for Health Policy. Duration of continuous opioid prescription and morphine equivalents (ME) per day (ME/D) were calculated for individuals age 18–65.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajim22374-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Over the period from 1998 to 2010, 3.8% of the total opioid dosage of medication prescribed in the study population were prescribed to WCB recipients. WCB recipients accounted for 2.1% of the individuals prescribed opioids. In adjusted analyses WCB recipients were more likely to be prescribed over 120 ME/D (OR 2.06 95% CI, 1.58–2.69).</p> </sec> <sec id="ajim22374-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>WCB recipients account for a small, but significant amount of the total opioid prescribed in Manitoba. Manitoba's WCB population is a group at increased risk of being prescribed over 120 ME/day. Am. J. Ind. Med. 58:33–39, 2015. © 2014 The Authors. American Journal of Industrial Medicine Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</p> </sec> </abstract>