Executive Summary
Opioid use continues to be a public health issue with substantial impact to healthcare system costs and profound effects on communities and families across the nation.
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is defined as the chronic use of opioids that causes clinically significant distress. Symptoms often include an overpowering desire to use opioids, increased opioid intolerance, and negative impacts to daily life (e.g., work, school, home obligations).
The U.S. has seen multiple waves of the opioid crisis including a rise in opioid use in the 1990’s, a transition to heroin as prescriptions were limited in the 2010’s, and in 2015, a surge in synthetic opioids (e.g., fentanyl) started driving a spike in overdose deaths. However, in 2024, overdose deaths decreased by 26.9% from 2023, with opioid overdoses specifically decreasing by 36.5%.
This indicates that public education, timely intervention, and behavioral therapies are making a real impact in the ongoing battle against drug abuse – yet, there is still much work to be done. This study explores differences in hospitalizations and receipt of treatment following hospitalization for opioid use disorder across four major insurance types, age, sex, and state. Explore the findings now.
The period immediately after discharge from hospitalization for an opioid use event is one of the highest risk times for a fatal opioid overdose.
