Leigh Anne Shafer, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba (UoM); Dr. Allen Kraut, Departments of Internal Medicine and Community Health Sciences, UoM; Colette B. Raymond, Department of Community Health Sciences, UoM and Manitoba Center for Health Policy, UoM

This study identifies the percentage of opioids prescribed for compensated workplace conditions in Manitoba, Canada and whether Workers Compensation Board (WCB) status is associated with higher prescription opioid doses. Opioid prescriptions for WCB recipients were linked with databases housed at the Manitoba Center for Health Policy. Duration of continuous opioid prescription and morphine equivalents (ME) per day (ME/D) were calculated for individuals age 18–65. Over the period from 1998 to 2010, 3.8% of the total opioid dosage of medication prescribed in the study population were prescribed to WCB recipients. WCB recipients accounted for 2.1% of the individuals prescribed opioids. In adjusted analyses, WCB recipients were more likely to be prescribed over 120 ME/D (OR 2.06 95% CI, 1.58–2.69). WCB recipients account for a small, but significant amount of the total opioid prescribed in Manitoba. Manitoba’s WCB population is a group at increased risk of being prescribed over 120 ME/day.

Am J Ind Med, Volume 58, Issue 1, pages 33-39. Correspondence to: Allen Kraut, University of Manitoba S-108 750 Bannatyne Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E OW3; email: allen.kraut@med.umanitoba.ca.