@article{ref1,
title="Opioid and benzodiazepine use before injury among workers in Washington state, 2012 - 2015",
journal="Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine",
year="2018",
author="Nkyekyer, Esi W. and Fulton-Kehoe, Deborah and Spector, June and Franklin, Gary",
volume="60",
number="9",
pages="820-826",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To characterize pre-injury prescription opioid and benzodiazepine use and its relationship with post-injury use and missed work among workers. <br><br>METHODS: 313,543 Washington State Department of Labor and Industries workers' compensation injury claims from 2012-2015 were linked with State Prescription Monitoring Program data. Pre-injury prevalence of opioid and benzodiazepine use were compared between compensable and non-compensable claims, and between workers with and without post-injury prescriptions, using the Pearson Chi-Square test. <br><br>RESULTS: The prevalence of opioid or benzodiazepine use in the 90 days before injury was 8.6% and 2.9%, respectively. Workers with pre-injury opioid or benzodiazepine use were more likely to have compensable claims and be on opioids or benzodiazepines, respectively, after injury. Cases with chronic opioid use pre-injury nearly universally receive opioids post-injury. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Pre-injury opioid and benzodiazepine use may increase the risk of disability after work-related injury.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1076-2752",
doi="10.1097/JOM.0000000000001346",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000001346"
}