Do Must-Access Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) Affect Pain and Physical Impairment Outcomes in Older Adults?

ABSTRACT:

Background

State policies requiring clinicians to review prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) databases have proliferated. Patient advocates warn that such policies may reduce quality of life for some patients.

Objectives

To quantify the relationship between must-access PDMPs and pain and physical impairment outcomes.

Research design

Using Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) data on older adults in the US from 2002-2021, we conducted a heterogeneity-robust difference-in-differences analysis.

Results

The population included 34,431 individuals with an average age of 67. Must-access PDMPs were initially associated with 1.65 (95% CI: 0.43 - 2.87) to 3.52 (95% CI: 0.88 - 6.16) percentage point increases in the reports of frequent pain. However, the effect diss

SUBMITTER: Wetzel M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12155038 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature