Influence of opioid prescribing standards on health outcomes among patients with long-term opioid use: a longitudinal cohort study

ABSTRACT:

Background:

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia introduced opioid prescribing standards and guidelines in mid-2016 in British Columbia. We evaluated impacts of the standards and guidelines on health outcomes.

Methods:

We conducted a longitudinal study with repeated measures using administrative data from December 2013 to March 2017. The study included BC patients with long-term use of prescription opioids. Those with a history of long-term care, palliative care or cancer were excluded. Patients were followed for a 12-month prepolicy period and 10-month postpolicy period and compared with historical controls. We estimated changes in level (sudden changes) and monthly trend (gradual changes) of rates of opioid overdose hospital admission, and secondar

SUBMITTER:  

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8568298 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature