Opioid distribution trends (2006–2017) in the US Territories
Background The US mainland is experiencing an epidemic of opioid overdoses. Unfortunately, the US Territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) have often been overlooked in opioid pharmacoepidemiology research. This study examined common prescription opioids over the last decade. Methods...
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| Format: | Article |
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PeerJ Inc.
2019-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/6272.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797418717066297344 |
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| author | Fedor F. Cabrera Erik R. Gamarra Tiffany E. Garcia Ashanti D. Littlejohn Poul A. Chinga Luis D. Pinentel-Morillo Jorge R. Tirado Daniel Y. Chung Leana J. Pande Kenneth L. McCall Stephanie D. Nichols Brian J. Piper |
| author_facet | Fedor F. Cabrera Erik R. Gamarra Tiffany E. Garcia Ashanti D. Littlejohn Poul A. Chinga Luis D. Pinentel-Morillo Jorge R. Tirado Daniel Y. Chung Leana J. Pande Kenneth L. McCall Stephanie D. Nichols Brian J. Piper |
| author_sort | Fedor F. Cabrera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background The US mainland is experiencing an epidemic of opioid overdoses. Unfortunately, the US Territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) have often been overlooked in opioid pharmacoepidemiology research. This study examined common prescription opioids over the last decade. Methods The United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System (ARCOS) was used to report on ten medical opioids: buprenorphine, codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, and oxymorphone, by weight from 2006 to 2017. Florida and Hawaii were selected as comparison areas. Results Puerto Rico had the greatest Territorial oral morphine mg equivalent (MME) per capita (421.5) which was significantly higher (p < .005) than the Virgin Islands (139.2) and Guam (118.9) but significantly lower than that of Hawaii (794.6) or Florida (1,509.8). Methadone was the largest opioid by MMEs in 2017 in most municipalities, accounting for 41.1% of the total in the Virgin Islands, 37.9% in Florida, 36.6% in Hawaii but 80.8% in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico and Florida showed pronounced differences in the distribution patterns by pharmacies, hospitals, and narcotic treatment programs for opioids. Conclusions Continued monitoring of the US Territories is needed to provide a balance between appropriate access to these important agents for cancer related and acute pain while also minimizing diversion and avoiding the opioid epidemic which has adversely impacted the US mainland. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:36:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2f2bdc8386ef403ca95307e156104903 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:36:59Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PeerJ |
| spelling | doaj.art-2f2bdc8386ef403ca95307e1561049032023-12-03T10:55:58ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592019-01-017e627210.7717/peerj.6272Opioid distribution trends (2006–2017) in the US TerritoriesFedor F. Cabrera0Erik R. Gamarra1Tiffany E. Garcia2Ashanti D. Littlejohn3Poul A. Chinga4Luis D. Pinentel-Morillo5Jorge R. Tirado6Daniel Y. Chung7Leana J. Pande8Kenneth L. McCall9Stephanie D. Nichols10Brian J. Piper11Department of Medical Education, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, PA, United States of AmericaDepartment of Medical Education, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, PA, United States of AmericaDepartment of Medical Education, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, PA, United States of AmericaDepartment of Medical Education, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, PA, United States of AmericaDepartment of Biology, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, United States of AmericaDepartment of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States of AmericaDepartment of Biology, Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown College, PA, United States of AmericaDepartment of Medical Education, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, PA, United States of AmericaDepartment of Biology, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA, United States of AmericaDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, University of New England, Portland, ME, United States of AmericaDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, Husson University School of Pharmacy, Bangor, ME, United States of AmericaDepartment of Medical Education, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, PA, United States of AmericaBackground The US mainland is experiencing an epidemic of opioid overdoses. Unfortunately, the US Territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) have often been overlooked in opioid pharmacoepidemiology research. This study examined common prescription opioids over the last decade. Methods The United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System (ARCOS) was used to report on ten medical opioids: buprenorphine, codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, and oxymorphone, by weight from 2006 to 2017. Florida and Hawaii were selected as comparison areas. Results Puerto Rico had the greatest Territorial oral morphine mg equivalent (MME) per capita (421.5) which was significantly higher (p < .005) than the Virgin Islands (139.2) and Guam (118.9) but significantly lower than that of Hawaii (794.6) or Florida (1,509.8). Methadone was the largest opioid by MMEs in 2017 in most municipalities, accounting for 41.1% of the total in the Virgin Islands, 37.9% in Florida, 36.6% in Hawaii but 80.8% in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico and Florida showed pronounced differences in the distribution patterns by pharmacies, hospitals, and narcotic treatment programs for opioids. Conclusions Continued monitoring of the US Territories is needed to provide a balance between appropriate access to these important agents for cancer related and acute pain while also minimizing diversion and avoiding the opioid epidemic which has adversely impacted the US mainland.https://peerj.com/articles/6272.pdfOpiatePainAddictionPuerto RicoFloridaHawaii |
| spellingShingle | Fedor F. Cabrera Erik R. Gamarra Tiffany E. Garcia Ashanti D. Littlejohn Poul A. Chinga Luis D. Pinentel-Morillo Jorge R. Tirado Daniel Y. Chung Leana J. Pande Kenneth L. McCall Stephanie D. Nichols Brian J. Piper Opioid distribution trends (2006–2017) in the US Territories PeerJ Opiate Pain Addiction Puerto Rico Florida Hawaii |
| title | Opioid distribution trends (2006–2017) in the US Territories |
| title_full | Opioid distribution trends (2006–2017) in the US Territories |
| title_fullStr | Opioid distribution trends (2006–2017) in the US Territories |
| title_full_unstemmed | Opioid distribution trends (2006–2017) in the US Territories |
| title_short | Opioid distribution trends (2006–2017) in the US Territories |
| title_sort | opioid distribution trends 2006 2017 in the us territories |
| topic | Opiate Pain Addiction Puerto Rico Florida Hawaii |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/6272.pdf |
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