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Prescription Drug Misuse

News Release
U.S. Opioid Crisis Best Viewed as Connected Ecosystem; Changing Policymakers' Approach Can Aid Solutions
The nation's opioid crisis, which kills thousands of Americans annually, is best viewed as an ecosystem where all parts of the vexing problem are interconnected, underscoring the need for holistic solutions that address the broad needs of those with substance use disorders, their families, and the communities where they live.
Mar 16, 2023
Report
America's Opioid Ecosystem
Patterns and consequences of opioid use are changing dramatically. Researchers provide a nuanced assessment of America's opioid ecosystem, highlighting how leveraging system interactions can reduce addiction, overdose, suffering, and other harms.
Mar 16, 2023
Visualization
The Ecosystem Approach to Opioid Policy
RAND researchers created a tool to help federal, state, and local policymakers better understand issues surrounding opioids as an ecosystem—and explore innovative policy ideas.
Mar 16, 2023
Journal Article
An Exploratory Analysis of Differential Prescribing of High-Risk Opioids by Insurance Type Among Patients Seen by the Same Clinician
The objective of this paper is to explore how high-risk opioid analgesic prescribing varies by payer type among patients seeing the same prescriber and identify clinician characteristics associated with variable prescribing.
Feb 8, 2023
Journal Article
Trends in the Concurrent Prescription of Opioids and Gabapentin in the US, 2006 to 2018
Researchers examined 2006 to 2018 US national deidentified pharmacy claims data and analyzed trends in concurrent gabapentin and opioid prescribing, overall and by prescriber, patient, and county characteristics.
Dec 8, 2022
Journal Article
Consensus-Based Guidance on Opioid Management in Individuals With Advanced Cancer-Related Pain and Opioid Misuse or Use Disorder
This qualitative study provides consensus-based guidance for clinicians and highlights research and policy gaps that warrant urgent attention to meet the needs of people with cancer-related pain and opioid misuse/use disorder.
Sep 21, 2022
Journal Article
Opioid Use Disorder Among Clients of Community Mental Health Clinics: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Treatment Willingness
The authors examined the prevalence of co-occurring opioid use disorder and willingness to engage in treatment among clients of eight Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health outpatient clinics.
Jun 1, 2022
Journal Article
Assessment of Postoperative Opioid Prescriptions Before and After Implementation of a Mandatory Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
In this study of adult patients who received a postoperative prescription for opioid medication, mandatory consultation with EHR-based alerts was associated with decreases in prescription quantities.
Mar 29, 2022
Journal Article
Comparison of Hospital Claims and Poison Center Data to Evaluate Health Impact of Opioids, Cannabis and Synthetic Cannabinoids
This study demonstrates the differences in surveillance methodology for concurrent drug abuse epidemics using hospital claims and PC data. Both systems provide incomplete reports, but in combination can provide a more complete picture.
Mar 4, 2022
Journal Article
APCDs Can Provide Important Insights for Surveilling the Opioid Epidemic, With Caveats
We compared Colorado's all-payer claims databases with other state-level databases, using analyses comparing quarterly rates of opioid-involved inpatient and emergency department visits and rates of 30-day opioid fills.
Mar 4, 2022
Journal Article
The Effect of State Policies on Rates of High-Risk Prescribing of an Initial Opioid Analgesic
This study examined how PDMPs, pain clinic laws, and prescribing limit laws have influenced several types of high-risk opioid prescribing, focusing on initial high-risk opioid prescriptions for individuals not routinely taking opioids.
Jan 25, 2022
Journal Article
Buprenorphine Prescriber Monthly Patient Caseloads: An Examination of 6-Year Trajectories
We examine buprenorphine-prescribing clinicians' patient caseloads over time and explore prescriber characteristics associated with different caseload trajectories.
Oct 1, 2021
Journal Article
Claims-based Measures of Prescription Opioid Utilization: A Practical Guide for Researchers
We reviewed medical literature for recent studies that use claims data to construct opioid utilization measures, then developed a guide for researchers regarding opioid utilization measures and measure definitions, and how these may influence study results.
Sep 30, 2021
Journal Article
Consensus-based Approach to Managing Opioids, Including Opioid Misuse and Opioid Use Disorder, in Patients with Serious Illness: Protocol for a Modified Delphi Process
Using a modified Delphi approach, we created seven patient cases that capture important management challenges in individuals with serious illness prescribed opioid therapy.
Sep 22, 2021
Dissertation
Three Essays on the Broader Effects of the Opioid Crisis
Investigates the unintended consequences of opioid policies, OxyContin reformulation and prescription drug monitoring programs on crime, labor supply, and child welfare.
Aug 24, 2021
Research Brief
Substance Use Among the Reserve Component
The Health Related Behaviors Survey provides insight into substance use among reserve component members, particularly use of alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products, and illicit and prescription drugs.
Apr 28, 2021
Research Brief
2018 Health Related Behaviors Survey: Substance Use Among the Active Component
The 2018 Health Related Behaviors Survey sought information on the health and health behaviors of service members. This brief reviews results for substance use among active component members, particularly use of alcohol, tobacco, and medication.
Apr 28, 2021
Journal Article
The Evolving Consequences of OxyContin Reformulation on Drug Overdoses
In this paper, we find that over a longer time horizon, OxyContin reformulation stimulated illicit drug markets to grow and evolve.
Mar 17, 2021
Journal Article
Multiplying the Impact of Opioid Settlement Funds by Investing in Primary Prevention
In this Perspective, we describe three strategies hospitals can use to multiply the reach of their opioid settlement funding by addressing root causes of opioid use through primary prevention.
Mar 17, 2021
Journal Article
Racial/ethnic Differences in Prescription Opioid Misuse and Heroin Use Among a National Sample, 1999–2018
We compared relative prevalences across 6 racial/ethnic groups for prescription opioid misuse analyses and 4 racial/ethnic groups for heroin analyses.
Feb 19, 2021

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RAND Topic:
Prescription Drug Misuse

Topic Synonyms:
Prescription Drug Abuse

Research conducted by

RAND Health Care