QuickStats: Percentage of Emergency Department Visits That Had an Opioid* Ordered or Prescribed, by Age Group — National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, United States, 2006–2015†

Weekly / March 23, 2018 / 67(11);344

: During 2006–2010, the percentage of emergency department (ED) visits that had an opioid ordered or prescribed increased among visits involving persons aged 18–44 years (from 34.3% to 39.3%) and 45–64 years (from 33.2% to 38.3%). However, during 2010–2015, the percentage decreased among visits for those aged 18–44 years (32.7% in 2015) and 45–64 years (35.2% in 2015). Throughout 2006–2015, the percentage decreased among visits for persons aged 0–17 years (from 9.5% in 2006 to 5.7% in 2015), remained stable among visits for those aged ≥65 years, and was highest among visits for those aged 18–44 and 45–64 years.

* Defined as any natural opioid (e.g., codeine or morphine), semisynthetic opioid (e.g., hydrocodone, hydromorphone, or oxycodone), or synthetic opioid (e.g., fentanyl, methadone, or tramadol) analgesic (https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/analysis.html). Heroin was not included because it is not approved for prescription in the United States. During 2006–2011, up to eight medications could be listed in the survey; therefore, analysis of data for the period 2012–2015 was also limited to eight medications.

† Based on a sample of visits to emergency departments in noninstitutional general and short-stay hospitals, exclusive of federal, military, and Veterans Administration hospitals, located in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

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During 2006–2010, the percentage of emergency department (ED) visits that had an opioid ordered or prescribed increased among visits involving persons aged 18–44 years (from 34.3% to 39.3%) and 45–64 years (from 33.2% to 38.3%). However, during 2010–2015, the percentage decreased among visits for those aged 18–44 years (32.7% in 2015) and 45–64 years (35.2% in 2015). Throughout 2006–2015, the percentage decreased among visits for persons aged 0–17 years (from 9.5% in 2006 to 5.7% in 2015), remained stable among visits for those aged ≥65 years, and was highest among visits for those aged 18–44 and 45–64 years.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics. National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, 2006–2015. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/ahcd/ahcd_questionnaires.htm.

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Reported by: Kari Yacisin, MD, kyacisin@cdc.gov, 301-458-4211; Kathleen S. O’Connor, MPH; Akintunde Akinseye.

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For more information on this topic, CDC recommends the following link: https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/prescribing/guideline.html.

Suggested citation for this article: QuickStats: Percentage of Emergency Department Visits That Had an Opioid Ordered or Prescribed, by Age Group — National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, United States, 2006–2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018;67:344. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6711a8 .