Implications of county-level variation in U.S. opioid distribution
Kevin N Griffith1, Yevgeniy Feyman2, Samantha G Auty3
1Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 West End Ave., Suite 1200, Nashville, TN 37203, USA; Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Bldg. 9, 150 S. Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02130, USA.
Higher prescription opioid pill volume is linked to increased opioid-related deaths. Early state Medicaid expansions were associated with reduced pill volume, indicating a potential public health benefit.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Prescription opioids are a major driver of opioid-related deaths in the U.S.
- Understanding prescription opioid distribution patterns is crucial for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate prescription opioid distribution patterns.
- Examine the association between opioid pill volume and opioid-related mortality.
- Assess the impact of early state Medicaid expansions on pill volume and mortality.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data on opioid shipments and opioid-related deaths (ORDs).
- Compared counties based on per capita pill volume (PCPV).
- Employed adjusted difference-in-differences regression models accounting for demographics and healthcare factors.
Main Results:
- Significant geographic variations in opioid distribution were observed.
- A one-pill increase in PCPV correlated with a 0.20 increase in ORDs per 100,000 population.
- Early Medicaid expansions were linked to a decrease in PCPV.
Conclusions:
- Validated the association between PCPV and ORDs.
- Identified demographic and healthcare factors influencing the opioid epidemic.
- Suggested early Medicaid expansions positively impacted opioid pill volume.
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