After an injury, workers who receive higher prescription doses of an opiod are at increased risk of longer-term use, according researchers at the Workers Compensation Institute.
Research focused on workers from 33 states who were injured in 2016.
The study found that among workers who received at 15-day to 30-day supply of opiods within 90 days of an injury, about 9 percent had longer-term opiod needs. In the same group, among those who received a three-day supply or less, just 5 percent had a longer-term dosing need.
Those workers who were prescribed a dose of 500 milligrams or more were more likely to need opiods longer. About 10 percent fell into that category. Only 7 to 8 percent of workers prescribed small doses had longer-term dispensing.
Other factors contribute to longer-term opiod use and possibly dependence. Among those was taking an opiod along with a central nervous system depressants.
Which workers most likely to be prescribed opioids?
If you are from a small town, work in a small company or work in the mining or construction industry, you are most likely to be prescribed opioids after an injury.
Injured workers at organizations with smaller payrolls (from 1 million to 4 million) were prescribed opiods 54 percent of the time. Those from larger companies were prescribed about 47 percent of the time.
Small-town workers with injuries were prescribed opioids 68 percent of the time, compared with larger metro areas where opiods were prescribed 54 percent of the time.
In mining, injured workers were prescribed opioids 62 percents of the time. In construction, the rate was 55 percent.
The study was conducted by the Workers Compensation Institute.
