Bottom Line: Opioids for pain management in pediatric patients are sometimes necessary but their use has raised concerns about the effects of opioids and later abuse. This analysis examined opioid prescribing rates using information from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey from 2006 to 2015 on more than 69,000 emergency department visits for patients younger than 18. Prescribing rates decreased from 8.2 percent in 2006-2010 to 6.3 percent in 2011-2015. Prescribing seemed to vary by region of the country, race, age and payment. For example, opioid prescribing rates were higher in the West; white patients and patients 13 to 17 were more likely to get prescriptions; and patients using Medicaid were less likely to get opioid prescriptions. The results of this observational study suggest inconsistencies in opioid prescribing requiring further research.
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Authors: Daniel M. Tomaszewski, Pharm.D., Ph.D., Chapman University, Irvine, California, and coauthors
To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.
(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6161)
Editor’s Note: The article contains funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
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About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.
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