Opioid and Benzodiazepine Use Before Injury Among Workers in Washington State, 2012 to 2015

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To characterize pre-injury prescription opioid and benzodiazepine use and its relationship with post-injury use and missed work among workers. METHODS: Three hundred thirteen thousand five hundred forty three Washington State Department of Labor and Industries workers' compensation injury claims from 2012 to 2015 were linked with State Prescription Monitoring Program data. Pre-injury prevalence of opioid and benzodiazepine use were compared between compensable and non-compensable claims, and between workers with and without post-injury prescriptions, using the Pearson's chi-squared test. RESULTS: The prevalence of opioid or benzodiazepine use in the 90 days before injury was 8.6% and 2.9%, respectively. Workers with pre-injury opioid or benzodiazepine use were more likely to have compensable claims and be on opioids or benzodiazepines, respectively, after injury. Cases with chronic opioid use pre-injury nearly universally receive opioids post-injury. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-injury opioid and benzodiazepine use may increase the risk of disability after work-related injury.