More Than Half of All U.S. Opioid Prescriptions Go to Patients With Mental Illness, Study Suggests

An estimated 16% of people in the United States have a diagnosed mental illness, yet this population receives over half of all prescribed opioids, reports a study scheduled to appear in theJuly issue of theJournal of the American Board of Family Medicine."There exists a complex interaction of factors related to the patient, provider, and medical and social conditions that ultimately results in the decision to prescribe an opioid," wrote study authors Matthew Davis, Ph.D., M.P.H., of the University of Michigan and colleagues."Our findings … suggest that there may be additional patient- and provider-related factors specific to those with mental illness that increase the likelihood of receiving prescription opioids," they continued. "Such a relationship is particularly concerning ...

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