Prescribing a path to dependency — How high-risk opioid prescriptions lock injured workers into long-term use
Lauren Finestone
A study found that most workers who used opioids for back and neck injuries were prescribed them in risky ways, and those who got them early on were twice as likely to still be taking them a year later.Although the prescribing of opioids is decreasing, Australia still has high opioid use compared to other countries, and opioid-related deaths remain a major public health problem. This is what we know: Prescription opioids are the main cause of drug-related deaths in Australia recently, partly because of increases in high-dose prescribing. Using lower doses of prescription opioids for shorter periods leads to fewer problems and less ha...
Published 29 July, 2025