ND Women and Opioids: National Study Highlights Past Prescription Rates

Why it matters locally: While the national study on opioid prescriptions among women of reproductive age focuses on data from 2008-2012, it raises important considerations for North Dakota. Given North Dakota's relatively small population (783,926), even seemingly small percentage changes in prescription rates can have significant impacts on the state's healthcare system, public health resources, and addiction treatment services. Understanding historical prescribing patterns is crucial to inform and assess the effectiveness of current strategies aimed at combating opioid misuse and preventing opioid-related harm within the state.

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A report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) has examined the prevalence of opioid painkiller prescriptions among women of reproductive age in the United States between 2008 and 2012. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the report. The study focused on women aged 15-44 who were enrolled in either Medicaid or had private insurance. Researchers analyzed prescription data to determine the percentage of women filling at least one opioid prescription each year during the five-year period. The findings indicated that a significant portion of women in this demographic received opioid prescriptions. The report stated that over one-third of reproductive-aged women enrolled in Medicaid filled an opioid painkiller prescription annually. Among women with private insurance, the rate was over one-quarter. The report does not offer reasons for the prescription rates, but it provides a quantification of opioid use among women during their reproductive years. Further research would need to be done to determine the conditions for which the opioids were prescribed, the dosages prescribed, and the long-term outcomes for the respective patients. The scope of the study was limited to the period from 2008 to 2012. Data on more recent trends in opioid prescriptions for this population would provide a more current understanding of the issue.