Postpartum Opioid Prescribing Patterns and Patient Utilization

Northwestern University494 enrolled

Overview

This study seeks to investigate the prescribing patterns and patient utilization of opioid pain medication in the postpartum setting. Postpartum women will be surveyed prior to hospital discharge and again at 2-4 weeks postpartum in order to assess the number of opioid tablets they used (in relation to the number prescribed), pain satisfaction, and storage/disposal of any remaining opioid tablets.

Opiate abuse is a national epidemic and has paralleled the increase in opioid prescriptions, with diversion of surplus medication playing a key contributing role. As the majority of reproductive age women in the U.S. will experience childbirth, understanding opioid prescription patterns and patient opioid utilization in the postpartum period is critical. Postpartum women will be recruited during a 9-month period to take part in pre-hospital discharge and 2-4 week postpartum surveys to prospectively assess opioid medication use with regard to quantity of opioid tablets prescribed and quantity used, storage and disposal of unused opioids and satisfaction with pain control.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

494

Conditions

Postpartum Opioid Use Post-operative Cesarean Delivery

Interventions

SurveyOTHER

A survey will be administered at two time points (time of hospital discharge and 2-4 weeks postpartum) to determine: * Satisfaction with pain control 2-4 weeks postpartum * Patient-reported use of opioid medication postpartum (receipt of prescription, filling of prescription, if refill was obtained, and number of opioid pills remaining at the time of follow-up) * Patient characteristics associated with high opioid use * Methods of storage and disposal of unused opioids

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Women who deliver during the recruitment period * English-speaking * Opiate-naïve (as determined by admission medication reconciliation) * Receive oral opioid medications during inpatient postpartum admission * 18 years or older Exclusion Criteria: * Contraindication to NSAID use * Required use of general anesthesia without concurrent neuraxial analgesia * Undergo hysterectomy, or unanticipated surgical procedures during the postpartum period * Are admitted to the intensive care unit during their admission.

Locations (1)

Northwestern University

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Postpartum outpatient opioid use

Self reported number of opioid tablets used at time of postpartum survey administered 2-4 weeks postpartum

Time frame: 8 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Satisfaction with outpatient pain control

Satisfaction with pain control at the time of postpartum survey administered 2-4 weeks postpartum

Time frame: 8 weeks from time of hospital discharge

Proper disposal/storage of remaining opioid tablets

Proportion of patients who report proper disposal/storage of remaining opioid tablets at the time of postpartum survey administered 2-4 weeks postpartum

Time frame: 8 weeks from time of discharge

High opioid use

Comparison of characteristics of women with \>50% remaining versus \<50% remaining of prescribed opioid tablets

Time frame: 8 weeks from time of hospital discharge

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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