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Do transdermal opioids reduce healthcare use in an Australian rural pain population? A comparison with oral opioids
Citation
Henshaw, JS, Do transdermal opioids reduce healthcare use in an Australian rural pain population? A comparison with oral opioids, Journal of Opioid Management, 7, (2) pp. 135 - 44. ISSN 1551-7489 (2011) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2011 Journal of Opioid Management
Official URL: http://www.opioidmanagement.com/
DOI: doi:10.5055/jom.2011.0056
Abstract
Objective: To determine ichether transdermal (TD) opioids reduce healthcare
contacts u·hen compared u·ith oral opioids in a rural population with chronic
no11ca11cerpain (C.YCP).
Design: An obserl'ational longitudinal study to measure the changes in selfrepm1ed
healthcare use by the route of opioid administration over time (monthly
for 1 year). Subjects u·ere opioid-treated CSCP patients from North West Tasmania.
Tbe subjects completed the month~v datasheets by recording all healthcare contacts
and the routes of opioid administration. Tbe outcome measures of mean monthly
healthcare contacts (JJHCs) by the routes of opioid administration were analyzed
using generalized estimating equations u·ith robust standard errors.
Results: The details of 10,564 healthcare contacts from 198 subjects were
obtai11ed during the study. General practitioner (GP) mean }vfHCs were 2.01 (95%
confidence interrnls [CI} = 1.58-2.45) for oral opioids and significantly (p =
0.02) /airer by 0.38 (95% CI= -0. 70 to -0.05) contacts for TD opioids.
Pharmacy mea11 JIHCs u·ere 2.44 (95% CI= 1.88-3.00) for oral opioids and
unchanged (p = 0.86) by -0.04 (95% CI= -0.44-0.37)for TD opioids. Total
111ea11 J1HCs u·ith oral opioid use icere 5.98 (95% CI= 4.93- 7.03). With TD opioid
use, this u·as nonsign(ficantzr lou•er (p = 0.12) by 0.62 (95% CI= -1.40-
0.15) contacts.
Conclusions: Tbe use of TD opioid preparations, u•ith their prolonged analgesic
effect. may reduce total healthcare activi(V and significantly reduce GP contact.
Tbis maypm1icular~v benefit a rural population where there is a relative shortage
of doctors.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | chric pain, opioids, healthcare use |
| Research Division: | Health Sciences |
| Research Group: | Health services and systems |
| Research Field: | Health services and systems not elsewhere classified |
| Objective Division: | Health |
| Objective Group: | Public health (excl. specific population health) |
| Objective Field: | Public health (excl. specific population health) not elsewhere classified |
| UTAS Author: | Henshaw, JS (Dr John Henshaw) |
| ID Code: | 86267 |
| Year Published: | 2011 |
| Deposited By: | Medicine |
| Deposited On: | 2013-09-02 |
| Last Modified: | 2018-02-08 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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