• Skip to Content
  • Skip to Main Navigation
  • Skip to Search

Indiana University Indiana University IU

Open Search
  • About
    • Welcome
    • Leadership
    • Offices
    • Directory
    • Programming and Initiatives
    • Accreditation
    • Join our Team: Faculty/Academic Appointments
    • Contact
  • Undergraduate
    • Majors & Degrees
    • Minors & Certificates
    • Advising
    • How to Apply
    • Costs and Finances
    • Contact & Visit
    • Dean's List
  • Masters
    • Majors & Degrees
    • Accelerated Master's Programs
    • Online program
    • How to Apply
      • Exploratory Non-Degree Seeking
      • International
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Advising
    • Costs and Financial Aid
    • Continuing Education
    • Certificates
    • Contact & Visit
  • Doctoral
    • Majors
    • How to Apply
      • International
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Advising
    • Costs and Financial Aid
    • Continuing Education
    • Contact & Visit Us
  • Career Services
    • Career Coaching
    • Career Kickstart
    • Student Outcomes
    • Recruit with Us
  • Student Experience
    • Life in the School of Public Health-Bloomington
    • Classroom Experience
    • Honors Program
    • Living Learning Center
    • Education Abroad
    • Research Day
    • Ombuds Office
  • Research & Departments
    • Centers and Institutes
    • Departments
      • Applied Health Science
      • Environmental and Occupational Health
      • Epidemiology and Biostatistics
      • Health & Wellness Design
      • Kinesiology
    • Bìguān 闭关
    • G.I.F.T.S.
  • Alumni & Giving
    • Ways to Give
    • Ways to Get Involved
    • Dean's Alliance
    • Alumni Association Board
    • Distinguished Alumni Awards
      • Submit a Nomination
  • Current Students
    • Advising
    • Career Services
    • Internships
    • Financial Support
      • Scholarships
      • Fellowships
    • Education Aboard
    • Student Organizations
    • Inclusive Excellence & Belonging
    • Graduation
    • Contact
  • News & Events
    • News
      • All News
    • Events
    • Distinguished Colloquium Speaker Series
      • Past Speakers
        • Distinguished Colloquium Speaker Series
        • Distinguished Colloquium Speaker Series
    • For Media Professionals

School of Public Health‐Bloomington

  • Home
  • About
    • Welcome
    • Leadership
    • Offices
    • Directory
    • Programming and Initiatives
    • Accreditation
    • Join our Team: Faculty/Academic Appointments
    • Contact
  • Undergraduate
    • Majors & Degrees
    • Minors & Certificates
    • Advising
    • How to Apply
    • Costs and Finances
    • Contact & Visit
    • Dean's List
  • Masters
    • Majors & Degrees
    • Accelerated Master's Programs
    • Online program
    • How to Apply
    • Advising
    • Costs and Financial Aid
    • Continuing Education
    • Certificates
    • Contact & Visit
  • Doctoral
    • Majors
    • How to Apply
    • Advising
    • Costs and Financial Aid
    • Continuing Education
    • Contact & Visit Us
  • Career Services
    • Career Coaching
    • Career Kickstart
    • Student Outcomes
    • Recruit with Us
  • Student Experience
    • Life in the School of Public Health-Bloomington
    • Classroom Experience
    • Honors Program
    • Living Learning Center
    • Education Abroad
    • Research Day
    • Ombuds Office
  • Research & Departments
    • Centers and Institutes
    • Departments
    • Bìguān 闭关
    • G.I.F.T.S.
  • Alumni & Giving
    • Ways to Give
    • Ways to Get Involved
    • Dean's Alliance
    • Alumni Association Board
    • Distinguished Alumni Awards
  • Search
  • Current Students
  • News & Events
  • Home
  • News & Events
  • News
  • Young adults' risks from first-time opioid prescriptions may not be as high as previously thought

Young adults' risks from first-time opioid prescriptions may not be as high as previously thought

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Across the board, the study found the opioid recipients' risk was 1 to 2 percent greater than other people's risk, but researchers cautioned that further studies are needed to determine how much of that risk is truly caused by opioid prescriptions.

Young adults and adolescents who are prescribed opioids for the first time may be at a slightly greater risk of developing a substance-related problem later in life, according to a new study co-authored by Indiana University researchers. However, the risk may not be as high as previously thought.

The study was published Monday in JAMA Pediatrics and co-authored by Dr. Patrick Quinn, an assistant professor at the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington.

The researchers looked at the health and other national records of Swedish individuals age 13 to 29, from 2007 to 2013, who were prescribed an opioid for the first time. Their goal was to further investigate whether prescribing opioids, such as codeine or oxycodone, during adolescence and young adulthood leads to a greater risk of substance-related problems.

They found that, compared with people who were not prescribed an opioid, 1 to 2 percent more of those prescribed an opioid for the first time developed a substance use disorder or other substance-related issue such an overdose or criminal conviction within five years of being prescribed.

"By using several rigorous research designs, we found that there was not a huge difference — in fact, the difference was smaller than some previous research has found. But the study still shows that even a first opioid prescription may lead to some risk," Quinn said. "Our findings highlight the importance of screening for substance use disorders and other mental health conditions among patients with pain, including those receiving opioid therapy."

Quinn and his team used health data from Sweden because the country has nationwide records, which makes it easier to document people's prescriptions. They conducted a number of tests, including comparing youth and adolescents who were prescribed opioids with those whose pain was treated with a non-opioid pain medication. They also compared twins and other siblings of multiple births, one who was prescribed opioids and others who were not.

Across the board, the opioid recipients' risk was 1 to 2 percent greater than other people's risk. Quinn cautioned that further research is needed to determine how much of that risk is truly caused by opioid prescription and how much is caused by other factors, such as whether opioid recipients experienced more impairing pain.

The opioid epidemic in the U.S. has brought about welcome prescription policy changes, Quinn said, but it is important to have solid data that can help guide these decisions.

"Our goal is help patients and doctors understand the risks of opioid treatment for pain," he said. "We need to have a good understanding of what those risks might be in order for patients and doctors to make informed decisions."

Other authors on the paper include Dr. Kimberly Fine of the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington; Martin Rickert, Ayesha Sujan and Brian D'Onofrio, all of the IU Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences; Katja Boersma of Örebro University; and Zheng Chang, Johan Franck, Paul Lichtenstein and Henrik Larsson, all of the Karolinska Institute.

This research was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health, by the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, by the Swedish Research Council and by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

  • News
    • All News
  • Events
  • Distinguished Colloquium Speaker Series
  • For Media Professionals

Additional links and resources

  • Information for:
    • Current Students

      • Academic Forms Online
      • Academic Forms Download
      • Advising
      • Career Services
      • Internships
    • Faculty / Staff

      • Grant Administration Office
      • Dean's Office Guidelines
      • Academic Council Guidelines
      • HR Toolkit
      • Faculty / Staff Online Forms
  • Quick Links
    • Faculty Directory
    • News
    • Events
    • Alumni
    • Giving
    • Room Request Form
  • Join our Team
    • Administration & Faculty positions
    • Staff positions
  • Undergraduate Programs
    • Degrees & Majors
    • How to Apply
    • Contact
  • Masters Programs
    • Degrees & Majors
    • How to Apply
    • Contact
  • Doctoral Programs
    • Majors
    • How to Apply
    • Contact
  • Key Websites
    • Online Programs & Certificates
    • THRIVE Living-Learning Center
    • Grant Administration Office
    • Internships
    • Public Health Partnerships
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn

School of Public Health-Bloomington
1025 E. Seventh Street, Suite 111
Bloomington, IN 47405-7109

Phone: 812-855-1561
Fax: 812-855-4983

Indiana University

Accessibility | College Scorecard | Privacy Notice | Copyright © 2025 The Trustees of Indiana University