Introduction
Identifying racial differences in trends in prescription opioid use (POU) is essential
for formulating evidence-based responses to the opioid epidemic. This study analyzes
trends in the prevalence of POU and exclusive nonopioid analgesic use (ENA) by race–ethnicity.
Methods
The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey was used to examine analgesic use among civilian
adults without cancer (age ≥18 years) between 1996 and 2017. The outcome classified
individuals into 3 mutually exclusive categories of prescription analgesic use: no
prescription analgesic, POU, and ENA. Analyses were conducted between December 2020
and April 2021.
Results
Among 250,596 adults, baseline analgesic usage varied with race–ethnicity, where non-Hispanic
Whites had the highest POU (11.9%), and it was as prevalent as ENA (11.3%). Non-Hispanic
Blacks and Hispanics had lower POU at baseline (9.3% and 9.6%, respectively), and
ENA exceeded POU. Subsequently, POU increased across race–ethnicity with concomitant
decreases in ENA, eventually eclipsing ENA in Whites and Blacks but not among Hispanics.
Although POU among Blacks became as prevalent as it was among Whites in the 2000s–2010s,
POU among Hispanics remained lower than the other groups throughout the 2000s–2010s.
After the adoption of prescribing limits, POU declined across race–ethnicity by comparable
levels in 2016–2017.
Conclusions
Blacks and Hispanics were less likely to use opioids when they first became widely
available for noncancer pain. Subsequently, POU displaced ENA among Whites and Blacks.
Although POU is often associated with Whites, a significant proportion of the Black
population may also be at risk. Finally, although lower POU among Hispanics may be
protective of misuse, it could represent undertreatment.
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: December 06, 2021
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
