Broadband internet subscription rates and opioid prescribing via telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the US DEA allowed controlled substance prescriptions to be issued following a telemedicine encounter. This study evaluated changes in opioid prescribing in Kentucky counties with low and high rates of broadband subscription before, during, and after a series of statewide emergency declarations that may have affected health care access.

Methods

The study used the prescription drug monitoring program to analyze records of opioid analgesic prescriptions dispensed to opioid-naïve individuals in high (N = 26) and low (N = 94) broadband access counties during 3 periods: before a state of emergency (SOE) and executive order (EO) limiting nonemergent health care services (January 2019-February 2020), while the EO was active (March-April

SUBMITTER: Oyler DR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9115233 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature