Productivity Loss Among Opioid and Benzodiazepine Users in the United States: A Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from 2010-2019

Abstract

Abstract Objective To estimate the association between productivity losses and the use of prescription opioids and benzodiazepines among employed US adults with painful conditions. Methods Using Medical Expenditures Panel Survey (2010-2019), we employed two-part (logistic regression and generalized linear model with zero-truncated negative binomial link) model to compare missed workdays due to illness or injury among employed adults with a painful condition. Results Of the eligible sample of 57,413 working US individuals, 14.65% were prescription opioid users, 2.95% were benzodiazepine users, and 1.59% were both opioid and benzodiazepine users. The predicted missed workdays were 5.75 (95%CL:5.58-5.92) days for benzodiazepine users, 13.06 (95%CL:12.88-13.23) days among opioid users, and 15.18 (95%CL:14.46-15.90) days for opioid and benzodiazepine concomitant users. Conclusions Concomitant use of prescription opioids and benzodiazepines was significantly associated with having more missed workdays among employed adults with documented painful conditions.