Opioid Misuse: A Review of the Main Issues, Challenges, and Strategies

Helena Biancuzzi, Francesca Dal Mas, Valerio Brescia, Stefano Campostrini, Marco Cascella, Arturo Cuomo, Lorenzo Cobianchi, Ander Dorken-Gallastegi, Anthony Gebran, Haytham M. Kaafarani, Franco Marinangeli, Maurizio Massaro, Angela Renne, Giacomo Scaioli, Rym Bednarova, Alessandro Vittori and Luca Miceli ()
Additional contact information
Helena Biancuzzi: Department of Clinical and Experimental Pain Medicine, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico—IRCCS Centro di Riferimento Oncologico—CRO of Aviano, 33081 Aviano, Italy
Francesca Dal Mas: Department of Management, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, 30100 Venice, Italy
Valerio Brescia: Department of Management, University of Turin, 10134 Turin, Italy
Stefano Campostrini: Department of Economics, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, 30100 Venice, Italy
Marco Cascella: Division of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico—IRCCS, Fondazione Pascale, 80131 Naples, Italy
Arturo Cuomo: Division of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico—IRCCS, Fondazione Pascale, 80131 Naples, Italy
Lorenzo Cobianchi: Department of Clinical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Ander Dorken-Gallastegi: Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery and Surgical Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Anthony Gebran: Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery and Surgical Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Haytham M. Kaafarani: Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery and Surgical Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Franco Marinangeli: Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
Maurizio Massaro: Department of Management, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, 30100 Venice, Italy
Angela Renne: Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery and Surgical Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Giacomo Scaioli: Department of Public Health Sciences and Pediatrics, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
Rym Bednarova: Department of Pain Medicine, Hospital of Latisana, 33053 Latisana, Italy
Alessandro Vittori: Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, ARCO, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico—IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Luca Miceli: Department of Clinical and Experimental Pain Medicine, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico—IRCCS Centro di Riferimento Oncologico—CRO of Aviano, 33081 Aviano, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-17

Abstract: In the United States, from 1999 to 2019, opioid overdose, either regularly prescribed or illegally acquired, was the cause of death for nearly 500,000 people. In addition to this pronounced mortality burden that has increased gradually over time, opioid overdose has significant morbidity with severe risks and side effects. As a result, opioid misuse is a cause for concern and is considered an epidemic. This article examines the trends and consequences of the opioid epidemic presented in recent international literature, reflecting on the causes of this phenomenon and the possible strategies to address it. The detailed analysis of 33 international articles highlights numerous impacts in the social, public health, economic, and political spheres. The prescription opioid epidemic is an almost exclusively North American problem. This phenomenon should be carefully evaluated from a healthcare systems perspective, for consequential risks and harms of aggressive opioid prescription practices for pain management. Appropriate policies are required to manage opioid use and prevent abuse efficiently. Examples of proper policies vary, such as the use of validated questionnaires for the early identification of patients at risk of addiction, the effective use of regional and national prescription monitoring programs, and the proper dissemination and translation of knowledge to highlight the risks of prescription opioid abuse.

Keywords: opioid misuse; opioid epidemic; opioid prescription; public health; literature review; social impacts (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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