Search

The article investigates the association between mental health disorders, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with prescription opioids and high-risk opioid use in U.S. veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the study, veterans with PTSD were 22.7 percent more likely to receive high-dose opioids, 19.8 percent more likely to receive two or more opioids, 40.7 percent more likely to receive sedative hypnotics, or 33.8 percent more likely to obtain early opioid refills compared to those without mental health disorders. Results showed an increased risk of adverse clinical outcomes for all veterans receiving prescription opioids, especially in veterans with PTSD.