Between 2005 and 2014, opioid-related emergency department visits nearly doubled and opioid-related inpatient stays increased 64 percent, according to a statistical brief from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The statistical brief is based on data compiled in the family of databases that form the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. HCUP is the nation's most comprehensive source of hospital care data.
Here are five key findings from the AHRQ statistical brief.
1. Between 2005 and 2014, the rates of inpatient and ED visits for opioid-related issues increased among both men and women across all age groups.
2. In 2005, 145.6 men per 100,000 population experienced an opioid-induced inpatient stay, compared to 127.8 per 100,000 population for females. In 2014, men tended to have higher rates of opioid-related hospitalizations than women in most states.
3. Between 2005 and 2014, women experienced the sharpest rise in opioid-related inpatient stays. By 2014, rates of these stays between the sexes were virtually identical at a rate of 225.0 for men and 224.1 for women per 100,000 population.
4. Over the time period covered in the brief, opioid-related inpatient stays were highest among patients aged 25 to 64 years. The highest rate of opioid-related ED visits occurred among patients aged 25 to 44 years.
5. Among all patients in 2014, opioid-related inpatient stays were lowest in Iowa, Nebraska, Texas and Wyoming and highest in Massachusetts. Opioid-related ED visits were lowest in Arkansas and Iowa and highest in Maryland for the same year.
"As the report makes clear, over the past decade, opioid abuse has affected both sexes and all age groups," said AHRQ Director Gopal Khanna, according to a release. "The crisis, however, looks different in different places. AHRQ's data can help frontline providers, researchers and policymakers know more about the trends and patient characteristics among people being hospitalized or visiting the ED because of opioids, and plan interventions accordingly."
To read the entire statistical brief, click here.
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