WCRI: Long-Term Opioids Increase Disability Time for Low-Back Injuries

Long-term prescribing of opioids to workers with low-back injuries led to temporary disability durations that were more than three times the length of disability among workers with similar injuries who received no opioids, according to a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute. In contrast, a small number of opioid prescriptions over a relatively short period did not lengthen temporary disability, the WCRI study found. “Based on the results of this study, there is a clear implication that policies addressing inappropriate longer-term opioid prescribing will resu...