2025 Wiggins Memorial Library Academic Symposium

Over the past few decades in the US, opioids, despite their limited effectiveness for long-term pain management and addictive nature, were commonly prescribed for acute and chronic non-cancer pain. This has contributed to a significant public health crisis in which overdose deaths have surged. The current study analyzed National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) data from 2010-2019 to assess the association between chronic pain diagnoses and visits with an opioid, while also considering factors like visit demographics and characteristics. Chronic pain visits had higher odds of receiving opioids, suggesting opioid use from 2010-2019 contradicted current guidelines, emphasizing the guidelines’ importance.