Chronic non-cancer pain and the epidemic prescription of opioids in the Danish population: trends from 2000 to 2013

H Birke; G P Kurita; P Sjøgren; J Højsted; M K Simonsen; K. Juel; O Ekholm

doi:10.1111/aas.12700

Chronic non-cancer pain and the epidemic prescription of opioids in the Danish population: trends from 2000 to 2013

H Birke, G P Kurita, P Sjøgren, J Højsted, M K Simonsen, K. Juel, O Ekholm

Department of Clinical Medicine

41 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain has serious consequences for individuals and society. In addition, opioid prescription for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) has become more frequent. This study aims to examine the trends regarding the prevalence of CNCP, dispensed opioids, and concurrent use of benzodiazepine (BZD)/BZD-related drugs in the Danish population.

METHODS: Data from the cross-sectional national representative Danish Health and Morbidity Surveys (2000, 2005, 2010, and 2013) were combined with The Danish National Prescription Registry at an individual level. The study populations varied between 5000 and 13,000 individuals ≥16 years (response rates: 51-63%). Respondents completed a self-administered questionnaire, which included the analyzed items on identification of chronic pain (≥6 months).

RESULTS: From 2000 to 2013, the prevalence of CNCP increased and subsequently the annual prevalence of opioid use from 4.1% to 5.7% among CNCP individuals. Higher CNCP prevalence was related to female gender, no cohabitation partner, short education, non-Western origin, and overweight/obesity. In addition, women with CNCP, especially >65 years, became more frequent users of opioids and used higher doses than men. Concurrent use of BZD/BZD-related drugs decreased (13%) from 2010 to 2013, still one-third of long-term opioid user were co-medicated with these drugs.

CONCLUSIONS: The use of opioids has increased in Denmark, especially among elderly women. The concurrent use of BZD/BZD-related drugs has decreased from 2010 to 2013, but still one-third of long-term opioid users were co-medicated.

Original language	English
Journal	Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
Volume	60
Issue number	5
Pages (from-to)	623-633
Number of pages	11
ISSN	0001-5172
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/aas.12700
Publication status	Published - 1 May 2016

Keywords

Adolescent
Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Analgesics, Opioid
Benzodiazepines
Chronic Pain
Cohort Studies
Cross-Sectional Studies
Denmark
Drug Prescriptions
Drug Therapy, Combination
Drug Utilization
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Opioid-Related Disorders
Population
Sex Factors
Socioeconomic Factors
Surveys and Questionnaires
Young Adult
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1111/aas.12700

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@article{426006b64be84aeba014dfba06a60b85,

title = "Chronic non-cancer pain and the epidemic prescription of opioids in the Danish population: trends from 2000 to 2013",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Chronic pain has serious consequences for individuals and society. In addition, opioid prescription for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) has become more frequent. This study aims to examine the trends regarding the prevalence of CNCP, dispensed opioids, and concurrent use of benzodiazepine (BZD)/BZD-related drugs in the Danish population.METHODS: Data from the cross-sectional national representative Danish Health and Morbidity Surveys (2000, 2005, 2010, and 2013) were combined with The Danish National Prescription Registry at an individual level. The study populations varied between 5000 and 13,000 individuals ≥16 years (response rates: 51-63%). Respondents completed a self-administered questionnaire, which included the analyzed items on identification of chronic pain (≥6 months).RESULTS: From 2000 to 2013, the prevalence of CNCP increased and subsequently the annual prevalence of opioid use from 4.1% to 5.7% among CNCP individuals. Higher CNCP prevalence was related to female gender, no cohabitation partner, short education, non-Western origin, and overweight/obesity. In addition, women with CNCP, especially >65 years, became more frequent users of opioids and used higher doses than men. Concurrent use of BZD/BZD-related drugs decreased (13%) from 2010 to 2013, still one-third of long-term opioid user were co-medicated with these drugs.CONCLUSIONS: The use of opioids has increased in Denmark, especially among elderly women. The concurrent use of BZD/BZD-related drugs has decreased from 2010 to 2013, but still one-third of long-term opioid users were co-medicated.",

keywords = "Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Analgesics, Opioid, Benzodiazepines, Chronic Pain, Cohort Studies, Cross-Sectional Studies, Denmark, Drug Prescriptions, Drug Therapy, Combination, Drug Utilization, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Opioid-Related Disorders, Population, Sex Factors, Socioeconomic Factors, Surveys and Questionnaires, Young Adult, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't",

author = "H Birke and Kurita, {G P} and P Sj{\o}gren and J H{\o}jsted and Simonsen, {M K} and K. Juel and O Ekholm",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2016 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",

year = "2016",

month = may,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1111/aas.12700",

language = "English",

volume = "60",

pages = "623--633",

journal = "Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica",

issn = "0001-5172",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Chronic non-cancer pain and the epidemic prescription of opioids in the Danish population

T2 - trends from 2000 to 2013

AU - Birke, H

AU - Kurita, G P

AU - Sjøgren, P

AU - Højsted, J

AU - Simonsen, M K

AU - Juel, K.

AU - Ekholm, O

PY - 2016/5/1

Y1 - 2016/5/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: Chronic pain has serious consequences for individuals and society. In addition, opioid prescription for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) has become more frequent. This study aims to examine the trends regarding the prevalence of CNCP, dispensed opioids, and concurrent use of benzodiazepine (BZD)/BZD-related drugs in the Danish population.METHODS: Data from the cross-sectional national representative Danish Health and Morbidity Surveys (2000, 2005, 2010, and 2013) were combined with The Danish National Prescription Registry at an individual level. The study populations varied between 5000 and 13,000 individuals ≥16 years (response rates: 51-63%). Respondents completed a self-administered questionnaire, which included the analyzed items on identification of chronic pain (≥6 months).RESULTS: From 2000 to 2013, the prevalence of CNCP increased and subsequently the annual prevalence of opioid use from 4.1% to 5.7% among CNCP individuals. Higher CNCP prevalence was related to female gender, no cohabitation partner, short education, non-Western origin, and overweight/obesity. In addition, women with CNCP, especially >65 years, became more frequent users of opioids and used higher doses than men. Concurrent use of BZD/BZD-related drugs decreased (13%) from 2010 to 2013, still one-third of long-term opioid user were co-medicated with these drugs.CONCLUSIONS: The use of opioids has increased in Denmark, especially among elderly women. The concurrent use of BZD/BZD-related drugs has decreased from 2010 to 2013, but still one-third of long-term opioid users were co-medicated.

AB - BACKGROUND: Chronic pain has serious consequences for individuals and society. In addition, opioid prescription for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) has become more frequent. This study aims to examine the trends regarding the prevalence of CNCP, dispensed opioids, and concurrent use of benzodiazepine (BZD)/BZD-related drugs in the Danish population.METHODS: Data from the cross-sectional national representative Danish Health and Morbidity Surveys (2000, 2005, 2010, and 2013) were combined with The Danish National Prescription Registry at an individual level. The study populations varied between 5000 and 13,000 individuals ≥16 years (response rates: 51-63%). Respondents completed a self-administered questionnaire, which included the analyzed items on identification of chronic pain (≥6 months).RESULTS: From 2000 to 2013, the prevalence of CNCP increased and subsequently the annual prevalence of opioid use from 4.1% to 5.7% among CNCP individuals. Higher CNCP prevalence was related to female gender, no cohabitation partner, short education, non-Western origin, and overweight/obesity. In addition, women with CNCP, especially >65 years, became more frequent users of opioids and used higher doses than men. Concurrent use of BZD/BZD-related drugs decreased (13%) from 2010 to 2013, still one-third of long-term opioid user were co-medicated with these drugs.CONCLUSIONS: The use of opioids has increased in Denmark, especially among elderly women. The concurrent use of BZD/BZD-related drugs has decreased from 2010 to 2013, but still one-third of long-term opioid users were co-medicated.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Age Factors

KW - Aged

KW - Aged, 80 and over

KW - Analgesics, Opioid

KW - Benzodiazepines

KW - Chronic Pain

KW - Cohort Studies

KW - Cross-Sectional Studies

KW - Denmark

KW - Drug Prescriptions

KW - Drug Therapy, Combination

KW - Drug Utilization

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Opioid-Related Disorders

KW - Population

KW - Sex Factors

KW - Socioeconomic Factors

KW - Surveys and Questionnaires

KW - Young Adult

KW - Journal Article

KW - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

U2 - 10.1111/aas.12700

DO - 10.1111/aas.12700

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26861026

SN - 0001-5172

VL - 60

SP - 623

EP - 633

JO - Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica

JF - Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica

IS - 5

ER -

Chronic non-cancer pain and the epidemic prescription of opioids in the Danish population: trends from 2000 to 2013

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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