TY - JOUR
KW - Adult
KW - Aged
KW - Analgesics, Opioid/therapeutic use
KW - Behavior, Addictive
KW - Buprenorphine/adverse effects
KW - Chronic Pain
KW - Chronic Pain/drug therapy
KW - Drug Overdose/prevention & control
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - medication-assisted treatment
KW - Methadone/adverse effects
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Midwestern United States
KW - Opioid-Related Disorders/drug therapy
KW - Opioids
KW - Overdose
KW - Pain Management/adverse effects
KW - Prescription Drugs/adverse effects
KW - Risk Assessment
KW - Risk Factors
KW - Veterans
AU - C. M. Wilder
AU - S. C. Miller
AU - E. Tiffany
AU - T. Winhusen
AU - E. L. Winstanley
AU - M. D. Stein
A1 - 
AB - Rising overdose fatalities among U.S. veterans suggest veterans taking prescription opioids may be at risk for overdose. However, it is unclear whether veterans prescribed chronic opioids are aware of this risk. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors and determine awareness of risk for opioid overdose in veterans treated with opioids for chronic pain, using veterans treated with methadone or buprenorphine for opioid use disorder as a high-risk comparator group. In the current study, 90 veterans on chronic opioid medication, for either opioid use disorder or pain management, completed a questionnaire assessing risk factors, knowledge, and self-estimate of risk for overdose. Nearly all veterans in both groups had multiple overdose risk factors, although individuals in the pain management group had on average a significantly lower total number of risk factors than did individuals in the opioid use disorder group (5.9 versus 8.5, p < .0001). On average, participants treated for pain management scored slightly but significantly lower on knowledge of opioid overdose risk factors (12.1 versus 13.5, p < .01). About 70% of participants, regardless of group, believed their overdose risk was below that of the average American adult. There was no significant relationship between self-estimate of overdose risk and either number or knowledge of opioid overdose risk factors. Our results suggest that veterans in both groups underestimated their risk for opioid overdose. Expansion of overdose education to include individuals on chronic opioids for pain management and a shift in educational approaches to overdose prevention may be indicated.
BT - Journal of addictive diseases
C5 - Healthcare Disparities; Opioids & Substance Use
CP - 1
CY - England
DO - 10.1080/10550887.2016.1107264
IS - 1
JF - Journal of addictive diseases
N2 - Rising overdose fatalities among U.S. veterans suggest veterans taking prescription opioids may be at risk for overdose. However, it is unclear whether veterans prescribed chronic opioids are aware of this risk. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors and determine awareness of risk for opioid overdose in veterans treated with opioids for chronic pain, using veterans treated with methadone or buprenorphine for opioid use disorder as a high-risk comparator group. In the current study, 90 veterans on chronic opioid medication, for either opioid use disorder or pain management, completed a questionnaire assessing risk factors, knowledge, and self-estimate of risk for overdose. Nearly all veterans in both groups had multiple overdose risk factors, although individuals in the pain management group had on average a significantly lower total number of risk factors than did individuals in the opioid use disorder group (5.9 versus 8.5, p < .0001). On average, participants treated for pain management scored slightly but significantly lower on knowledge of opioid overdose risk factors (12.1 versus 13.5, p < .01). About 70% of participants, regardless of group, believed their overdose risk was below that of the average American adult. There was no significant relationship between self-estimate of overdose risk and either number or knowledge of opioid overdose risk factors. Our results suggest that veterans in both groups underestimated their risk for opioid overdose. Expansion of overdose education to include individuals on chronic opioids for pain management and a shift in educational approaches to overdose prevention may be indicated.
PP - England
PY - 2016
SN - 1545-0848; 1055-0887
SP - 42
EP - 51
EP - 
T1 - Risk factors for opioid overdose and awareness of overdose risk among veterans prescribed chronic opioids for addiction or pain
T2 - Journal of addictive diseases
TI - Risk factors for opioid overdose and awareness of overdose risk among veterans prescribed chronic opioids for addiction or pain
U1 - Healthcare Disparities; Opioids & Substance Use
U2 - 26566771
U3 - 10.1080/10550887.2016.1107264
VL - 35
VO - 1545-0848; 1055-0887
Y1 - 2016
ER -