@article {Alghnam87, author = {Suliman Alghnam and Renan Castillo}, title = {Traumatic injuries and persistent opioid use in the USA: findings from a nationally representative survey}, volume = {23}, number = {2}, pages = {87--92}, year = {2017}, doi = {10.1136/injuryprev-2016-042059}, publisher = {BMJ Publishing Group Ltd}, abstract = {Background Although opioid abuse is a rising epidemic in the USA, there are no studies to date on the incidence of persistent opioid use following injuries. Therefore, the aims of this study are: (1) to examine the incidence of persistent opioid use among a nationally representative sample of injured and non-injured populations; (2) to evaluate whether an injury is an independent predictor of persistent opioid use.Method Data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey were pooled (years 2009{\textendash}2012). Adults were followed for about 2 years, during which they were surveyed about injury status and opioid use every 4{\textendash}5 months. To determine whether injuries are associated with persistent opioid use, weighted multiple logistic regressions were constructed.Results While 2.3 million injured individuals received any opioid during the follow-up, 371 170 (15.6\%) individuals became persistent opioid users (defined as opioid use across multiple time points). In a multiple logistic regression analysis adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and self-reported health, those who sustained injuries were 1.4 times (95\% CI 1.1 to 1.9) more likely to report persistent opioid use than those without injuries.Conclusions We found injuries to be significantly associated with persistent opioid use in a nationally representative sample. Further investment in injury prevention may facilitate reduction of persistent opioid use and, thus, improve population health and reduce health expenditures.}, issn = {1353-8047}, URL = {https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/23/2/87}, eprint = {https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/23/2/87.full.pdf}, journal = {Injury Prevention} }