Household Exposure to Substance Abuse and the Risk of New Persistent Opioid Use After Cancer Surgery

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pain Management
• Public Health

Background:

• Household factors can influence new persistent opioid use (NPOU).
• Assessing the impact of household substance abuse exposure on NPOU risk is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between household substance abuse exposure and NPOU risk.
• To identify individuals at higher risk for NPOU.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the IBM MarketScan database to identify opioid-naïve patients undergoing oncological procedures.
• Employed multivariable regression to analyze the link between family history of substance abuse and NPOU.

Main Results:

• Patients with a family history of substance abuse showed higher perioperative and postoperative opioid use and dosage.
• A family history of substance abuse was associated with a 37% increased odds of NPOU (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.07-1.75).

Conclusions:

• A family history of substance abuse is a significant risk factor for NPOU in opioid-naïve cancer patients.
• Pre-prescription screening for household substance abuse is recommended to mitigate NPOU risk.