April 24, 2019

Predictors of chronic opioid use in non-cancer community-dwelling patients

High consumption rates of prescription opioids in Canada raised the need to understand factors associated with chronic use to counteract opioid-related harms (addiction, misuse, abuse and accidental overdose, death).

This study followed a population-based cohort who started a prescription opioid in the outpatient setting. Similarly to other countries, 3.4% of the cohort became chronic users, typically in situations where the initial supply was greater or equal to 30 days and with a chronic pain diagnosis.

Personalized strategies to monitor patients at risk of becoming chronic opioid users may be helpful but should not compromise optimal pain care.

Publications:
Beliveau A, Castilloux AM, Tanenbaum C, Vincent P, Moura CS, Bernatsky S, Pujade I, Moride Y.
Incidence of chronic opioid use in seniors [abstract]. PDS. 2019;28(S2).

Béliveau A, Castilloux AM, Tannenbaum C, Vincent P, de Moura CS, Bernatsky S, Moride Y.
Predictors of long-term use of prescription opioids in the community-dwelling population of adults without a cancer diagnosis: a retrospective cohort study.
CMAJ Open. 2021 Feb 9;9(1):E96-E106. doi: 10.9778/cmajo.20200076. PMID: 33563639.

For more information, contact: Autumn Neville, Research Coordinator. autumn.neville@rimuhc.ca

This research was funded by CIHR-DSEN
Lead investigator: Dr. Yola Moride
Query 18-04 (Phase 2 of Q16-07) raised by Health Canada’s Pharmaceutical Policy Division, Office of Pharmaceutical Management Strategies