Table 1.
Percent of People with PIP Occurrences and Rates of Fatal Opioid Overdoses per 100,000 population in Massachusetts ZIP Codes, 2011–2015.
Cut Points | Excessive MME Dosing | Opioid Rx and No Pain Diagnosis | Multiple Prescribers | Co-Prescription of Opioids and Benzodiazepines | Cash Payments for Opioid Rx | Multiple Pharmacies | Fatal Opioid Overdose Rates per 100,000 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Q1: Very Low Rates | 0−1.68% | 0−1.90% | 0−2.35% | 0−4.73% | 0−4.90% | 0−0.49% | No Overdoses | 0 |
Q2: Low Rates | 1.69−2.39% | 1.91−2.48% | 2.36−3.13% | 4.74−6.00% | 5.00−6.10% | 0.5−0.74% | Below the MA Rate | <10.4 |
Q3: Average Rates | 2.4−3.14% | 2.49−3.05% | 3.14−4.03% | 6.01−7.45% | 6.20−7.50% | 0.75−1.01% | >MA and <US Rates | 10.4−15.4 |
Q4: High Rates | 3.15−4.87% | 3.06−4.12% | 4.04−5.94% | 7.46−4−10.14% | 7.60−11% | 1.02−1.43% | >US and MA Rates | >15.4 |
Q5: Very High Rates | 4.88−24% | 4.13−18.45% | 5.95−13.45% | 10.15−24% | 11.10−36.80% | 1.44−6.72% | -- |
Abbreviations and Definitions: PIP=Potentially inappropriate opioid prescriptions; MME=Morphine milligram equivalents; Rx=Prescription; Q1-Q5=Quintile 1-Quintile 5 for PIP variables; MA=Massachusetts; US=United States; cut points for fatal opioid overdose are based on Massachusetts rates and US opioid overdose rates per 100,000.