The Opioid Epidemic and Its Effect on Life Care Planning

Abstract

Every day in the United States, 91 people die from anopioid overdose, either from prescription opioids or heroin(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016). Thenumber of American deaths, as well as the amount ofprescription opioids sold in the United Sates, have bothquadrupled since 1999 (CDC, 2016). As more than 183,000people died between 1999 to 2015 in the U.S. from overdosesrelated to prescription opioids, over prescribing ofmedication and overuse of opioids has been deemed anepidemic (CDC, 2016). This epidemic has brought attentionto the need for changes to the CDC’s guidelines forprescribing opioids for chronic pain, prompted states tocreate additional laws related to substance abuse, and hasdriven research to be conducted about future changes thatmust occur for responsible treatment of chronic pain.This article is the first of a two-part series of articlesintended to educate life care planners about changing painmanagement policies and practices in America. Thesechanges have resulted in large part from the opioid epidemicin America. These changes, in turn, will affect how life careplanners outline chronic pain management in their life careplans. This article will outline proposed changes in policiesin the treatment of chronic pain and the second article willoutline changes in chronic pain management practices. Thisinformation may be of assistance to life care planners whendeveloping plans of care for individuals with pain or otherconditions which have historically been treated with opioids.