title: Proportion of opioid use due to compensated workers' compensation claims in Manitoba, Canada.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study identifies the percentage of opioids prescribed for compensated workplace conditions in Manitoba, Canada and whether Workers Compensation Board (WCB) status is associated with higher prescription opioid doses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Opioid prescriptions for WCB recipients were linked with databases housed at the Manitoba Center for Health Policy. Duration of continuous opioid prescription and morphine equivalents (ME) per day (ME/D) were calculated for individuals age 18-65.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the period from 1998 to 2010, 3.8% of the total opioid dosage of medication prescribed in the study population were prescribed to WCB recipients. WCB recipients accounted for 2.1% of the individuals prescribed opioids. In adjusted analyses WCB recipients were more likely to be prescribed over 120 ME/D (OR 2.06 95% CI, 1.58-2.69).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  WCB recipients account for a small, but significant amount of the total opioid prescribed in Manitoba. Manitoba's WCB population is a group at increased risk of being prescribed over 120 ME/day.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba; Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba.
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kraut
authors.forename: Leigh Anne
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Shafer
authors.forename: Colette B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Raymond
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000600:supply & distribution* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008350:Manitoba; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055553:Prescription Drugs; D012307:Risk Factors; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D055553:Prescription Drugs
keywords: Canada; duration of use; epidemiology; opioids; workers compensation