ARKANSAS (KFSM) – Arkansas is one of the top states in the nation when it comes to the highest amount of people using prescription painkillers, according to a new report published on Tuesday (Dec. 9).
The report was published by a Fortune 100 pharmacy benefit management company called Express Scripts. The report gave detailed information on several topics relating to prescription painkiller (specifically opioids like morphine and OxyContin) usage, including states had the highest amount of it.
“Prescription opioids can provide patients with clinically safe and effective pain management. However, the potential for misuse and addiction requires vigilance and exemplary coordination of care,” the report states.
The report states that of the 25 cities with the highest prevalence of longer-term opioid use, 24 had populations of fewer than 100,000 people.
On average, 3.9 percent of Americans were using prescription opioids on a longer-term basis in 2013, according to the report. In smaller cities, the average of people using them on a longer-term basis is 5.1 percent, the report states.
Among small cities with fewer than 28,000 residents, the top five had between 12.3 percent and 18 percent of their population using prescription opioids and were located predominately in Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky, according to the report.
Yahoo News reported that 41 of the 50 cities with the highest prevalence for opioid use in America were found in the four states named above.
To view the full report, click here.
