@article{ref1,
title="Mental health disorders and long-term opioid use among adolescents and young adults with chronic pain",
journal="Journal of Adolescent Health",
year="2012",
author="Richardson, Laura P. and Russo, Joan E. and Katon, Wayne and McCarty, Carolyn A. and Devries, Andrea and Edlund, Mark J. and Martin, Bradley C. and Sullivan, Mark",
volume="50",
number="6",
pages="553-558",
abstract="PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between mental health disorders and subsequent risk for long-term opioid use among adolescents and young adults presenting with common chronic pain complaints (back pain, neck pain, headache, and arthritis/joint pain). METHODS: Using claims data from January 1, 2001 to June 30, 2008, we conducted a longitudinal analysis of opioid use patterns among 13-24-year-old subjects presenting with a new episode of chronic pain. Long-term opioid use was defined as receiving >90 days of opioids within a 6-month period with no gap of >30 days in use of opioids in the 18 months after the first qualifying pain diagnosis. Mental health disorders were identified from claims in the 6 months before the first qualifying pain diagnosis. RESULTS: Fifty-nine thousand seventy-seven youth met criteria for a new episode of chronic pain. Among these youth, 321 (.5%) met criteria for long-term opioid use, and 16,172 (27.4%) had some opioid use. After controlling for demographic and clinical factors, youth with preexisting mental health diagnoses had a 2.4-fold increased risk of subsequently receiving long-term opioids versus no opioids (odds ratio = 2.36, 95% confidence interval = 1.73-3.23) and a 1.8-fold increased likelihood of receiving long-term opioids versus some opioids (odds ratio = 1.83, 95% confidence interval = 1.34-2.50). CONCLUSIONS: Mental health disorders are associated with increased risk for long-term opioid use among adolescents and emerging young adults. Further study is warranted to examine risks and benefits of long-term opioid use in this population.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1054-139X",
doi="10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.11.011",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.11.011"
}