Table 1.

Baseline Characteristics of Oregon Medicaid Patients with Back or Neck Pain on Long-Term Opioid Therapy

n (%) N = 1,789
Sex
    Female1083 (60.5)
Age, years
    Mean (SD)49.2 (9.2)
    19 to 34163 (9.1)
    35 to 49593 (33.2)
    50 to 641033 (57.7)
Race/ethnicity
    Non-Hispanic White1556 (87.0)
    Hispanic, Black, Indigenous, other patients of color, and unknown race/ethnicity233 (13.0)
Eligible pain diagnoses
    Back pain1183 (66.1)
    Neck pain223 (12.5)
    Both383 (21.4)
Average daily MME
    <20745 (41.6)
    20 to <50578 (32.3)
    50 to <90259 (14.5)
    ≥90207 (11.6)
Number of visits in the prior year
    Median (IQR)9.0 (6.0, 14.0)
    <6422 (23.6)
    6 to 9523 (29.2)
    10 to 12305 (17.1)
    >12539 (30.1)
Charlson Comorbidity Index*
    0309 (17.3)
    1 to 2899 (50.3)
    ≥3581 (32.5)
N pain clusters (of 8)*†
    0338 (18.9)
    1638 (35.7)
    ≥2813 (45.4)
    Alcohol abuse/dependence*164 (9.2)
    Opioid abuse/dependence*80 (4.5)
    Other drug abuse/dependence*224 (12.5)
    Mood disorder* ‡1098 (61.4)

  • Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; MME, morphine milligram equivalence; IQR, interquartile range.

  • ↵* Conditions based on active problem list entries at baseline.

  • ↵† Pain conditions assessed: (1) limb/extremity pain, joint pain, and arthritic disorders; (2) neuropathic pain conditions; (3) headache; (4) abdominal and bowel pain; (5) urogenital, pelvic, and menstrual pain; (6) musculoskeletal chest pain; (7) systemic disorders or diseases causing pain; (8) orofacial, ear, and temporomandibular disorder pain. See Appendix Table 1 for definitions.

  • ↵‡ Includes depression and anxiety disorders. See Appendix Table 1 for definitions.