Do racial disparities exist in the prescribing and monitoring of opioid medications for chronic noncancer pain?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWERBlack and Hispanic patients are less likely than White patients to receive opioid prescriptions for nontraumatic and nonsurgical pain (SOR: A, meta-analysis of retrospective observational studies). Compared with White patients, Black patients experience higher rates of opioid dose reduction and discontinuation, increased substance abuse referrals, and reduced pain specialist referrals (SOR: B, multiple retrospective cohort studies).
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