Opioid Use Among Rural Medicare Beneficiaries

Yvonne C. Jonk PhD, University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service, Maine Rural Health Research Center
Heidi O'Connor, University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service, Maine Rural Health Research Center
Karen Pearson MLIS, MA, University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service, Maine Rural Health Research Center
Zachariah T. Croll MPH, University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service, Maine Rural Health Research Center
John Gale MS, University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service, Maine Rural Health Research Center

For more information, please contact Dr. Yvonne Jonk, yvonne.jonk@maine.edu

Abstract

The authors examine differences in opioid prescribing rates among rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries as well as among beneficiaries with chronic overlapping pain conditions. They also assess whether prescribing patterns exceed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for dose and duration, and identify socioeconomic and health risk factors associated with opioid prescribing.