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. 2016 Mar;20(3):687-98.
doi: 10.1007/s10461-015-1178-8.

Factors Associated with Prescription of Opioids and Co-prescription of Sedating Medications in Individuals with HIV

Jessica S Merlin  1   2 , Ashutosh Tamhane  3 , Joanna L Starrels  4 , Stefan Kertesz  5   6 , Michael Saag  3 , Karen Cropsey  7
Affiliations

Factors Associated with Prescription of Opioids and Co-prescription of Sedating Medications in Individuals with HIV

Jessica S Merlin et al. AIDS Behav. 2016 Mar.

Abstract

Opioids are often prescribed for chronic pain, and opioid risks such as overdose and death are heightened when opioids are co-prescribed with other sedating medications. We investigated factors associated with chronic opioid prescription, alone and in combination with benzodiazepines and muscle relaxants, in a clinical cohort of individuals with HIV. We used multivariable logistic regression models to determine participant clinical and demographic characteristics that are associated with chronic prescription of opioids or chronic co-prescription of opioids with sedating medications. Among 1474 participants, chronic prescription of opioids occurred in 253 individuals (17.2 %), and chronic co-prescription occurred in 90 individuals (6.1 %). Age >50, public insurance as compared to private insurance, and symptoms of depression and anxiety were significantly associated with chronic opioid prescription and chronic co-prescription. Our findings raise concern that opioid prescription and co-prescription of sedating medications occurs disproportionately in patients for whom use is riskier.

Keywords: Benzodiazepine; Chronic pain; HIV; Muscle relaxant; Opioid.

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