TABLE 3.
Adjusted average rate of opioid prescriptions a dispensed among the Nova Scotia end-of-life cancer study population from 2005–2009 by selected demographic and clinical characteristics (n = 11,498).
| Characteristic | n | Adjusted average number of prescriptions per person per year | 95% CI | Multivariate Poisson regression results (p-value) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study population | 11,498 | — | ||
| Year of death | p < 0.0001 | |||
| 2006 | 1,669 | 5.9 | (5.7–6.2) | |
| 2007 | 3,331 | 6.3 | (6.1–6.5) | |
| 2008 | 3,307 | 6.7 | (6.4–6.9) | |
| 2009 | 3,191 | 7.0 | (6.8–7.3) | |
| Sex | p = 0.617 | |||
| Male | 6,222 | 6.3 | (6.1–6.5) | |
| Female | 5,276 | 6.3 | (6.1–6.5) | |
| Age group at death (years) b | p < 0.0001 | |||
| <30 | 48 | 11.4 | (10.1–12.8) | |
| 30–39 | 63 | 10.3 | (9.3–11.3) | |
| 40–49 | 351 | 14.5 | (13.8–15.1) | |
| 50–59 | 1,043 | 11.7 | (11.3–12.1) | |
| 60–69 | 2,132 | 9.0 | (8.7–9.3) | |
| 70–79 | 3,143 | 6.3 | (6.1–6.5) | |
| 80+ | 4,716 | 3.9 | (3.7–4.0) | |
| Cause of death by cancer site/type | p < 0.0001 | |||
| Oral | 112 | 7.0 | (6.5–7.5) | |
| Esophagus | 210 | 6.0 | (5.6–6.4) | |
| Stomach | 195 | 6.7 | (6.2–7.2) | |
| Colorectal | 1,143 | 6.3 | (6.1–6.5) | |
| Pancreas | 441 | 9.7 | (9.2–10.2) | |
| Larynx | 51 | 4.7 | (4.1–5.4) | |
| Lung | 2,280 | 7.7 | (7.5–7.9) | |
| Skin | 111 | 4.2 | (3.8–4.6) | |
| Breast | 506 | 4.9 | (4.7–5.2) | |
| Cervix | 44 | 6.2 | (5.5–6.9) | |
| Body of Uterus | 100 | 4.3 | (3.9–4.7) | |
| Ovary | 176 | 3.9 | (3.5–4.2) | |
| Prostate | 409 | 7.1 | (6.8–7.4) | |
| Bladder | 193 | 5.7 | (5.3–6.2) | |
| Kidney | 204 | 6.3 | (5.9–6.7) | |
| Brain | 215 | 2.5 | (2.3–2.8) | |
| Thyroid | 16 | 6.5 | (5.2–8.2) | |
| Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma | 313 | 4.0 | (3.8–4.3) | |
| Hodgkin’s Lymphoma | 14 | 3.9 | (2.8–5.3) | |
| Leukemia | 277 | 2.2 | (2.0–2.4) | |
| Liver | 65 | 3.9 | (3.4–4.5) | |
| Multiple Myeloma | 124 | 6.1 | (5.6–6.6) | |
| Other Cancers | 1,140 | 6.7 | (6.4–6.9) | |
| Non-Cancer Death | 3,159 | 1.9 | (1.8–2.0) | |
| Prognostic tier (5-year survival percentage) b | p < 0.0001 | |||
| Tier 1 (>80%) | 1,285 | 5.7 | (5.5–5.8) | |
| Tier 2 (50–80%) | 2,510 | 6.0 | (5.8–6.1) | |
| Tier 3 (<50%) | 4,544 | 7.2 | (7.1–7.4) | |
| Other | 3,159 | 1.9 | (1.9–2.0) | |
| Region at diagnosisc | p < 0.05 | |||
| Urban | 7,291 | 6.3 | (6.1–6.5) | |
| Rural | 4,069 | 6.2 | (5.9–6.4) | |
a
As estimated from the multivariate model containing all of the above explanatory factors.
b
Ellison L and Wilkins K. An update on cancer survival. 2010 [cited 11 November 2018]. Statistics Canada, Catalogue no. 82–003-XPE. Health Reports:21 (3). Available from: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/82-003-x/2010003/article/11334-eng.pdf?st=X1Jalqn3.
c
Missing values; numbers may not add up to total study population.