Prescription opioid dispensing rates in the 12-months post-discharge after acute spinal cord injury: an observational study.

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Published 13th February 2024

Authors: Borg, S., Borg, D., Wheeler A., Atresh, S., Geraghty, T. 

Opioid use after a spinal cord injury in Australia is under-researched. This observational study used Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme data to look at prescription opioids in the 12-months after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation.

Despite being a smaller cohort, the researcher team found that longer-term opioid and concomitant analgesia and sleep dispensing medications in the 12-months after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation was common. This presents a high potential for adverse risks. The article also identifies that those who were dispensed opioids at discharge from the rehabilitation unit were nearly 7 times more likely to be dispensed opioids in the year following discharge.

More work is being done in this space by Hopkins researcher Samantha Borg, who will focus on identifying opioid dispensing patterns for people with SCI across Queensland.  

Borg SJ, Borg DN, Wheeler A, Atresh S & Geraghty T. Prescription opioid dispensing rates in the 12-months post-discharge after acute spinal cord injury: an observational study. Pre-print: https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/8spqh

Authors

Sridhar Atresh

Director, Queensland Spinal Cord Injury Service

Tim Geraghty

Professor and Director

David Borg

Samantha Borg