Opioid distribution trends (2006–2017) in the US Territories

PeerJ

article

Fedor F. Cabrera¹  Erik R. Gamarra¹  Tiffany E. Garcia¹  Ashanti D. Littlejohn¹  Poul A. Chinga²  Luis D. Pinentel-Morillo³  Jorge R. Tirado⁴  Daniel Y. Chung¹  Leana J. Pande⁵  Kenneth L. McCall⁶  Stephanie D. Nichols⁷  Brian J. Piper¹ 

[1] Department of Medical Education, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine;Department of Biology, University of Scranton;Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, State College;Department of Biology, Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown College;Department of Biology, Wilkes University;Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of New England;Department of Pharmacy Practice, Husson University School of Pharmacy;Center for Pharmacy Innovation and Outcomes, Geisinger Precision Health Center

关键词: Opiate;    Pain;    Addiction;    Puerto Rico;    Florida;    Hawaii;    Guam;    Methadone;    Opioid use disorder;    US Virgin Islands;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.6272

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe US mainland is experiencing an epidemic of opioid overdoses. Unfortunately, the US Territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) have often been overlooked in opioid pharmacoepidemiology research. This study examined common prescription opioids over the last decade.MethodsThe United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System (ARCOS) was used to report on ten medical opioids: buprenorphine, codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, and oxymorphone, by weight from 2006 to 2017. Florida and Hawaii were selected as comparison areas.ResultsPuerto Rico had the greatest Territorial oral morphine mg equivalent (MME) per capita (421.5) which was significantly higher (p < .005) than the Virgin Islands (139.2) and Guam (118.9) but significantly lower than that of Hawaii (794.6) or Florida (1,509.8). Methadone was the largest opioid by MMEs in 2017 in most municipalities, accounting for 41.1% of the total in the Virgin Islands, 37.9% in Florida, 36.6% in Hawaii but 80.8% in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico and Florida showed pronounced differences in the distribution patterns by pharmacies, hospitals, and narcotic treatment programs for opioids.ConclusionsContinued monitoring of the US Territories is needed to provide a balance between appropriate access to these important agents for cancer related and acute pain while also minimizing diversion and avoiding the opioid epidemic which has adversely impacted the US mainland.

【 授权许可】

CC BY