Costs and Work Loss Burden of Diagnosed Opioid Abuse Among Employees on Workers Compensation or Short-term Disability.
To compare 12-month healthcare costs between employees with versus without diagnosed opioid abuse within 12 months after an injury-related workers' compensation (WC) or short-term disability (STD) claim.



Retrospective study using 2003 to 2014 US insurance claims linked to administrative data on WC/STD claims. Multivariable models compared healthcare costs between employees with versus without diagnosed opioid abuse.



Study included 107,975 opioid-treated employees with an injury-related WC or STD claim. Mean number of opioid prescription fills and adjusted total healthcare costs were substantially greater in employees with diagnosed opioid abuse versus without (WC: 13.4 vs. 4.5, P < 0.001; $18,073 vs. $8470, P < 0.001; STD: 13.7 vs. 4.5, P < 0.001; $25,693 vs. $14,939, P < 0.001).



Opioids are commonly prescribed to employees with injury-related WC/STD claims. Employers may benefit from proactively addressing the issue of opioid abuse in these populations.
Truven Health Analytics, Bethesda, Maryland (Mr Johnston, Ms Malangone-Monaco, Ms Riehle, Ms Wilson); and Pfizer Inc., New York, New York (Ms Alexander, Ms Masters, Drs Mardekian, Semel, Sadosky).
Stephen S
SS
Johnston
Andrea H
AH
Alexander
Elizabeth T
ET
Masters
Jack
J
Mardekian
David
D
Semel
Elisabetta
E
Malangone-Monaco
Ellen
E
Riehle
Kathleen
K
Wilson
Alesia
A
Sadosky
D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D018868:Insurance, Disability; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000191:economics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014942:Workers' Compensation
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid