Associations Between Opioid Prescriptions and Use of Hospital-Based Services Among US Adults with Longstanding Physical Disability or Inflammatory Conditions Compared to Other Adults in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2010–2015

Purpose: To investigate the association of filling opioid prescriptions with healthcare service utilization among a nationally representative sample of adults with disability. Materials and Methods: The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) for 2010–2015, Panels 15–19, was used to identify adults who were prescribed opioids during each two-year period. We examined the data for associations between opioid prescription filling and the number of emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. The participants were grouped as those with inflammatory conditions or with longstanding physical disability, and a comparison group of those without these conditions. Results and conclusions: Opioid prescription filling differed among adults with inflammatory conditions and longstanding physical disability compared to the comparison group (44.93% and 40.70% vs 18.10%, respectively). For both groups of people with disability, the relative rates for an ED visit or hospitalization were significantly higher for those who filled an opioid prescription, compared to adults with the same conditions who did not fill an opioid prescription. People with a longstanding physical disability who filled an opioid prescription had the highest rate ratio of ED use and hospitalization. Results from this investigation demonstrate that opioid prescription filling among persons with inflammatory conditions and longstanding physical disabilities is associated with higher rates of ED visits and hospitalizations.