Opioid Abuse And Poisoning: Trends In Inpatient And Emergency Department Discharges

• DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2017.0260
• Publication Date: 2017-10-03T08:21:50Z
• Authors: Dario Tedesco; Steven M. Asch; Catherine Curtin; Jennifer Hah; Kathryn M. McDonald; Maria P. Fantini; Tina Hernandez-Bo...
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Inpatients; Health Policy; 610; Middle Aged; Opioid-Related Disorders; Patient Discharge; 3. Good health; Analgesics, Opioid; Opioid epidemic; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Opioid epidemic; Pharmaceuticals; Health Policy; Pharmaceutical; Humans; Female; Emergency Service, Hospital

Addressing the opioid epidemic is a national priority. We analyzed national trends in inpatient and emergency department (ED) discharges for opioid abuse, dependence, and poisoning using Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project data. Inpatient and ED discharge rates increased overall across the study period, but a decline was observed for prescription opioid-related discharges beginning in 2010, while a sharp increase in heroin-related discharges began in 2008.