Older Adults’ Experiences with Opioid Prescriptions

This study asked adults age 50-80 about their use of opioids for pain management, perceptions of opioid policies, and the education they received about the drugs and their disposal. More than one in four older adults (29%) said they filled a prescription for an opioid pain medication for themselves within the past two years. Nearly half had leftover opioid medication, raising important concerns about misuse or abuse and highlighting the importance of communication with healthcare professionals.