Teen Surgery-Linked Opioid Prescription Rates Stable From 2015 to 2020
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Oct. 10, 2023 -- For U.S. adolescents, there was a decrease in opioid prescription rates from 2015 to 2020 for nonsurgical indications, but opioid prescription rates associated with surgery remained stable, according to a research report published online Oct. 4 in Pediatric Anesthesia.
Joseph T. Sofia, M.D., from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, and colleagues describe national trends in postsurgical opioid prescription rates over time among 26,909 adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in the United States. Data captured in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from 2015 to 2020 were included.
Overall, 4.7 percent of adolescents underwent a surgical procedure. Between 2015 and 2020, the surgery rate remained stable (4.3 and 4.4 percent) and was lower among minority populations. The researchers found that among all adolescents, there was a significant decrease in the combined rate of opioid prescribing for surgical and nonsurgical indications (from 4.1 percent in 2015 to 1.4 percent in 2020). However, there was little change in opioid prescribing for surgery (1 percent in 2015 and 0.8 percent in 2020).
"There are increasing data suggesting that opioid prescription postsurgery can lead to problematic opioid use, even in previously opioid-naive patients; however, undertreatment of postsurgical pain is also a significant problem among adolescents," coauthor Cornelius B. Groenewald, M.B., Ch.B., of Seattle Children's Hospital, said in a statement. "As surgical procedures are often the first encounter adolescents may have with opioid medications, understanding these prescriptions is important."
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted October 2023
Read this next
Emergency Inguinal Hernia Surgery Rates Increased With Lower Country Income
FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- For patients undergoing inguinal hernia surgery, emergency surgery rates increase from high- to low-income countries, according to a study published online...
Robotic-Assisted Total Knee Arthroplasty Has Fewer Complications
WEDNESDAY, May 15, 2024 -- Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) is associated with fewer complications but higher average total cost than conventional TKA (cTKA)...
Anesthesia-Surgery Team Sex Diversity Linked to Improved Postop Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, May 15, 2024 -- Anesthesia-surgery team sex diversity is associated with improved postoperative outcomes, according to a study published online May 15 in the British...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.