Study points to tie between workplace injuries and prolonged opioid use

New research suggests that people treated for injuries sustained on the job are more likely to take opioids for more than three months. Researchers looked at more than 9,500 people who were initially treated with opioids for an injury filed under workers’ compensation. Of those, 30 percent continued filling opioid prescriptions three months after their injuries. People with strains, sprains, or crush injuries were more likely to have persistent opioid use, as were people who were also diagnosed with chronic joint pain. The study’s authors say their findings point to a need for interventions to lower opioid use among people injured at work.