Opioids
Narcotics, or opioids, are often used to treat pain, including pain associated with work injuries. Yet, abuse of these painkillers has resulted in such a large increase in hospitalizations and deaths that the situation is called an “opioid epidemic.” IWH research looks at optimal opioid prescribing practices for physicians, as well as the use and effects of opioids related to the treatment of work-related injuries in particular.
Featured
At Work article
IWH review outlines promising strategies to prevent prescribed opioid abuse
Research synthesis by Institute for Work & Health examines programs and policies aimed at reducing the misuse and abuse of prescription opioids and preventing overdose deaths
Published: November 6, 2018
At Work article
Studies consistent in finding a link between opioids for MSDs and longer work disability
But high risk of bias across available studies limits ability to draw conclusions about cause and effect
Published: February 16, 2018
IWH Speaker Series
IWH Speaker Series
The link between workplace injury and fatality risks and the use of substances affecting the central nervous system
Prescription and recreational drugs that act on the central nervous system can have many adverse effects, including cognitive and psychomotor impairment. An IWH systematic review has looked into the link between workplace injury and fatality risks and the use of such substances—including opioids, benzodiazepines and cannabis. In this presentation, Dr. Nancy Carnide shares findings from that systematic review.
Published: May 2019
Journal article
Journal article
Relationship between early prescription dispensing patterns and work disability in a cohort of low back pain workers' compensation claimants: a historical cohort study
Published: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, May 2019
Journal article
Journal article
Identifying patient-important outcomes in medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder patients: a systematic review protocol
Published: BMJ Open, December 2018
At Work article
IWH review outlines promising strategies to prevent prescribed opioid abuse
Since the start of the opioid crisis in the late 1990s, communities across North America have tried many different strategies to curb the misuse and abuse of prescription opioids. A new IWH systematic review identifies the most promising ones.
Published: November 2018
IWH in the media
New systematic review outlines promising strategies to prevent prescribed opioid abuse, overdoses
The opioid epidemic continues to grow unabated across swaths of North America. A new systematic review by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) now provides a comprehensive assessment of the strategies that have been tried to promote the appropriate use of opioid prescriptions, reduce their misuse and abuse, and prevent overdose deaths.
Published: OOHNA Journal, October 2018
Journal article
Journal article
Prescription dispensing patterns before and after a workers' compensation claim: an historical cohort study of workers with low back pain injuries in British Columbia
Published: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, July 2018
Journal article
Journal article
A systematic review of strategies to improve appropriate use of opioids and to reduce opioid use disorder and deaths from prescription opioids
Published: Canadian Journal of Pain, June 2018
IWH in the media
Opioids linked to longer disability leaves
A Canadian review of five studies have found a link between opioid prescriptions and longer duration of time on disability, writes Sarah Dobson, who interviews Dr. Nancy Carnide and Dr. Andrea Furlan, among others, about implications of this IWH study.
Published: Canadian HR Reporter, June 2018
IWH in the media
100 million Americans have chronic pain. Very few use one of the best tools to treat it.
The pain system is "like an alarm system for your house." It can break; it can malfunction, says Dr. Andrea Furlan in this article exploring treatment options for chronic pain that has no biological cause.
Published: Vox, May 2018
At Work article
Studies consistent in finding a link between opioids for MSDs and longer work disability
A systematic review on early opioid prescription for MSDs and work disability finds a consistent link with longer work disability. However, review authors urge caution in drawing a conclusion about cause and effect.
Published: February 2018