Opioid prescribing policies of states with high overdose-related deaths: a 2020 profile
Date
2024
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
The current opioid epidemic has been ongoing in the United States since the 1990’s with various policy responses initiated at different levels of government aimed at addressing differing aspects of the epidemic. Over the last two decades, since the early 2000’s, states have taken on the opioid epidemic. This dissertation provides a descriptive portrait of state opioid prescribing policies and analyzes similarities and differences across several key features. The descriptive portrait describes the number and type of policies created; the inclusion of delegated authority, with or without stipulations; the targets of the policies; and the language used to reference opioids. The comparative analysis explores whether and how chronic pain and/or suicide are included in the policy; the policy restrictiveness; and the enforceability of the policy. This project uses a deductive qualitative content analysis of opioid policy documents among states with high opioid death rates. Opioid prescribing policies from the sample states were iteratively coded from which a profile for each state was created and utilized to answer the research questions. A substantial amount of variation in the number and type of policies created was found along with a higher than expected amount of specific stipulations in instances of delegated authority, and variation in the targets of the policies with some states having different prescribing policies dependent on the medical professional. Opioid prescribing policies were more similar than not in terms of inclusion of chronic pain, death by suicide, and enforceability, it was in restrictiveness in which a considerable amount of unexpected dimensionality and variation were discovered.
Description
Keywords
Chronic pain, Opioids, State administrative law, State health policies, State laws, Suicide