“A new study by Geisinger Health System (GHS) profiles patients who overdosed on opioids, allowing researchers to predict who is most likely to die and experience other serious complications from their drug abuse.
Marital status, mental health and employment status all weigh in as predictors.
“Our study suggests opportunities for identifying patients at-risk for overdosing,” said study leader Joseph Boscarino, Ph.D., MPH, Geisinger addiction researcher and senior epidemiologist. “We’ve found that patients who are taking higher doses of prescription opioids combined with psychotropic medicines may need closer monitoring to avoid death and other serious complications.”
Being married and having private health insurance were found to have a protective effect, while history of previous addiction, mental illness and having other chronic diseases were all found to be conditions associated with adverse overdose outcomes, including death.”
Read more at: http://www.geisinger.org/pages/newsroom/articles/opioidoverdose.html
Source: Geisinger.org – June 2, 2016
