TABLE 4.
Adjusted average morphine equivalents per day (MEQ) dispensed per person among the Nova Scotia end-of-life cancer study population by selected demographic and clinical characteristics from 2005–2009 (n = 6,148).
| Characteristic | n | Adjusted mean MEQ a , b , c | 95% CI | Multivariate regression results (p-value) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study population | 6,148 | |||
| Year of death | p = 0.12 | |||
| 2006 | 847 | 28.0 | (25.0–31.3) | |
| 2007 | 1,731 | 27.3 | (27.3–30.3) | |
| 2008 | 1,818 | 26.7 | (24.2–29.6) | |
| 2009 | 1,752 | 26.1 | (23.5–29.1) | |
| Sex | p < 0.01 | |||
| Male | 3,310 | 27.3 | (24.7–30.3) | |
| Female | 2,838 | 24.9 | (22.4–27.7) | |
| Age group at death (years) d | p < 0.0001 | |||
| <30 | 37 | 53.9 | (36.5–79.6) | |
| 30–39 | 51 | 62.9 | (45.1–87.6) | |
| 40–49 | 278 | 80.2 | (68.2–94.4) | |
| 50–59 | 801 | 57.0 | (50.6–64.2) | |
| 60–69 | 1,441 | 41.8 | (37.6–46.4) | |
| 70–79 | 1730 | 27.3 | (24.7–30.3) | |
| 80+ | 1809 | 17.0 | (15.2–18.9) | |
| Cause of death by cancer site/type | p < 0.0001 | |||
| Oral | 87 | 19.4 | (15.1–24.9) | |
| Esophagus | 141 | 21.3 | (17.4–25.9) | |
| Stomach | 115 | 23.0 | (18.5–28.6) | |
| Colorectal | 738 | 27.3 | (24.7–30.3) | |
| Pancreas | 282 | 33.4 | (28.8–38.7) | |
| Larynx | 28 | 24.8 | (16.1–38.0) | |
| Lung | 1,502 | 26.2 | (24.1–28.4) | |
| Skin | 86 | 25.9 | (20.1–33.4) | |
| Breast | 361 | 22.4 | (19.4–26.0) | |
| Cervix | 33 | 24.2 | (16.2–36.3) | |
| Body of Uterus | 53 | 23.8 | (17.3–32.8) | |
| Ovary | 104 | 21.2 | (16.7–26.8) | |
| Prostate | 271 | 33.3 | (28.8–38.6) | |
| Bladder | 104 | 27.2 | (21.7–34.1) | |
| Kidney | 134 | 26.9 | (21.9–33.0) | |
| Brain | 107 | 12.8 | (10.2–16.1) | |
| Thyroid | 10 | 25.7 | (12.6–52.4) | |
| Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma | 170 | 19.9 | (16.6–24.0) | |
| Hodgkin’s Lymphoma | 6 | 16.0 | (6.3–40.2) | |
| Leukemia | 114 | 16.9 | (13.5–21.0) | |
| Liver | 40 | 20.5 | (14.3–29.3) | |
| Multiple Myeloma | 89 | 31.0 | (24.2–39.6) | |
| Other Cancers | 614 | 27.0 | (24.2–30.1) | |
| Non-Cancer Death | 959 | 14.0 | (12.7–15.4) | |
| Prognostic tier (5-year survival percentage) e | p < 0.0001 | |||
| Tier 1 (>80%) | 843 | 27.1 | (24.4–30.0) | |
| Tier 2 (50–80%) | 1,528 | 26.0 | (23.9–28.3) | |
| Tier 3 (<50%) | 2,818 | 26.2 | (24.4–28.2) | |
| Other | 959 | 14.2 | (12.9–15.7) | |
| Region at diagnosis | p = 0.09 | |||
| Urban | 3,950 | 27.3 | (24.7–30.3) | |
| Rural | 2,147 | 28.8 | (25.9–32.1) | |
MEQ, morphine equivalents per day.
Parenteral opioids were inadvertently grouped with oral liquids and dosages divided by 5 due to an error in data analysis; however, since parenteral opioids made up 9% of all opioid prescriptions dispensed, we expect this to have minimal effect on the data.
MEQ, used for oxycodone (0.334) and codeine (0.05) were lower than the current standard based on local consideration at the time of the study that these were weaker opioids. These two opioids made up approximately 6% of the total study opioids.
Missing values; numbers may not add up to total study population.
Ellison L and Wilkins K. An update on cancer survival. 2010 [cited 11 Nov 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.