Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 23, 2025
07:30
Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study
Published on: August 18, 2020
6.9K
The relationship between provider age and opioid prescribing behavior
Laurence C Baker, Daniel P Kessler1, Grant K Vaska
1Stanford University, 434 Galvez Mall, Stanford, CA 94305.
The American Journal of Managed Care
|May 13, 2022
Summary
Older healthcare providers prescribe more opioids than younger ones, and this trend widened between 2010 and 2015. As older physicians retire, opioid prescribing volumes are expected to decrease.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Medical Economics
- Geriatric Medicine
Background:
- The relationship between healthcare provider age and quality of care is complex and not well-established.
- Limited research exists on how provider age impacts clinical practice patterns, particularly concerning opioid prescribing behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between healthcare provider age and opioid prescribing patterns.
- To analyze differences in opioid prescribing behavior across different age groups of providers using Medicare Part D data.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of Medicare Part D prescription data.
- Regression analysis to estimate the effect of provider age on opioid prescribing, controlling for other factors.
Main Results:
- Older healthcare providers were found to prescribe significantly more opioids compared to younger providers.
- The disparity in opioid prescribing between older and younger providers increased between 2010 and 2015.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest that provider age is a significant factor influencing opioid prescribing volumes.
- Anticipated retirement of older providers and the entry of younger providers into practice may lead to a reduction in overall opioid prescribing.
Related Concept Videos
01:02Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs
864
Prescription drugs require a prescription from a medical practitioner and can only be obtained from a pharmacy. They have many applications, including treating pain, anxiety, and hypertension.
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
864
01:20Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners
389
Opioids are a class of drugs that mimic endogenous opioid peptides and act on opioid receptors, and help in pain relief. These compounds are classified as natural, synthetic, or semi-synthetic. Natural opioids, like morphine, codeine, and thebaine, are derived from the opium poppy plant (Papaver somniferum or Papaver album) and are termed opiates. Synthetic opioids are artificial, while semi-synthetic opioids combine natural and synthetic compounds. Morphine, a prototypical opioid, possesses a...
389
01:21Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview
2.4K
When it comes to infants and young children, they are typically administered smaller doses of medication in comparison to adults. This is primarily because their organ functions still need to fully develop, meaning their bodies are not as efficient at metabolizing or eliminating drugs. Additionally, their blood-brain barrier is more permeable than in adults. As a result, high concentrations of drugs can easily penetrate the central nervous system (CNS), potentially leading to neurological...
2.4K
01:25Analgesia and Pain Management
835
Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
835
01:15Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids
459
Synthetic and semisynthetic opioids are pivotal in pain management and tackling opioid addiction. Semisynthetic opioids, including morphinans (morphine derivatives), oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, have improved pharmacokinetic profiles compared to morphine. Additionally, heroin and 6-MAM (6-Monoacetylmorphine) show better CNS penetration than morphine due to heightened lipid solubility. Hydromorphone, a potent opioid, undergoes hepatic metabolism to form the active...
459
01:15Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
760
Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not...
760