Key Points Question What was the proportion of persistent opioid use and the patient-level factors associated with persistent opioid use among workers’ compensation claimants? Findings In this cohort study of 9596 workers’ compensation claimants who were initially treated with an opioid prescription, approximately 30% of claimants continued to fill opioid prescriptions beyond 90 days from injury. Baseline characteristics, including increased age, preinjury income more than $60 000, crush injuries, strain or sprain injuries, and a concomitant diagnosis of chronic joint pain were associated with persistent opioid use. Meaning The findings suggest workers’ compensation claimants have a high proportion of persistent opioid use. Interventions to lower persistent opioid use among this population should target patients with the identified factors, and since persistent opioid use does not correlate well with injury severity, consideration should be given to not initiating opioid use for nonsevere injuries.

BackgroundGiven its role in treating musculoskeletal conditions, rehabilitation medicine may be an important factor in decreasing the use of opioids among injured workers. The primary objective was to determine if increased utilization of rehabilitation services was associated with decreased persistent opioid use among workers’ compensation claimants. The secondary objective was to determine the combined association of rehabilitation service utilization and persistent opioid use with days of work lost due to injury.MethodsUsing Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company claims data from 2008 to 2016, claimants with at least one filled opioid prescription within 90 days of injury were eligible for inclusion. The primary outcome was persistent opioid use, defined as at least one filled opioid prescription more than 90 days from injury. The secondary outcome was days lost due to injury. The primary variable of interest, rehabilitation service utilization, was quantified based on the number of rehabilitation service claims and grouped into five levels (no utilization, and four quartiles - low, medium, high, very high).ResultsOf the 9596 claimants included, 29% were persistent opioid users. Compared to claimants that did not utilize rehabilitation services, patients with very high rehabilitation utilization were nearly three times more likely (OR: 2.71, 95% CI: 2.28–3.23, p < 0.001) to be persistent opioid users and claimants with low and medium levels of rehabilitation utilization were less likely to be persistent opioid users (low OR: 0.20, 95%: 0.14–0.27, p < 0.001) (medium OR: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.21–0.32, p < 0.001). Compared to claimants that did not utilize rehabilitation services, very high rehabilitation utilization was associated with a 27% increase in days lost due to the injury (95% CI: 21.9–32.3, p < 0.001), while low (− 16.4, 95% CI: -21.3 – -11.5, p < 0.001) and medium (− 11.5, 95% CI: -21.6 - -13.8, p < 0.001) levels of rehabilitation utilization were associated with a decrease in days lost due to injury, adjusting for persistent opioid use.ConclusionOur analysis of insurance claims data revealed that low to moderate levels of rehabilitation was associated with reduced persistent opioid use and days lost to injury. Very high rehabilitation utilization was associated with increased persistent opioid use and increased time from work.

The Canadian Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research supports the inclusion of patients as partners throughout the research process. Purposeful and meaningful engagement of patient partners after stroke can present unique challenges due to the potential impacts on cognition, communication, or mobility. The purpose of this paper is to provide a case example of working together with three individuals who bring their post-stroke lived experience, including one person with aphasia, from study design through to dissemination. The designed and executed qualitative research was the purpose of this collaboration; this paper describes the collaborative process rather than the outcomes of the original research. The Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research Patient Engagement Framework was followed to engage the patient partners fully as part of the research team. Patient partners were involved at regularly scheduled team meetings and provided guidance on key aspects of project design and decision-making. The patient partners provided robust and important contributions to many aspects of the research, including shaping interview questions, assisting with thematic analysis, and contributing to the dissemination of research findings. Effective team dynamics were fostered by focusing on the value of the lived experience knowledge, using best-practice communication strategies, as well as taking time for relationship-building and story sharing. With appropriate support and guidance, the individuals who have experienced stroke were valuable contributing members of our research team.

Background, objectives, and aims: To provide treatment using a patient-centered care model, the provider must understand the needs and wants of the patient and ensure the patient has access to appropriate and necessary health information. The objective of this study was to determine what information is most desired by proximal humeral fracture patients following their injury.Methods: This qualitative study enrolled patients aged 60 years or older presenting with a proximal humeral fracture. Semi-structured interviews were conducted within one-month of injury and at 6-months post-injury. The interviews were transcribed, coded and analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: Four themes (biomedical information, recovery, engagement opportunities and support available) emerged from the coded data. Within one-month post-injury, the most commonly identified themes were rehabilitation and support available. Six-months after the injury, the most commonly identified theme remained rehabilitation, while the second most frequently identified theme shifted to engagement opportunities. The biomedical information theme emerged infrequently at both interviews. Conclusions: Patient-centered care models for proximal humeral fracture patients could be improved by adapting to dynamic information concerns. While the effect of the injury on the patient’s rehabilitation remained the leading concern for the duration of the study period, secondary concerns did change over time. Providing germane information to patients at timely intervals supports patient-centered care, patient engagement and ultimately may improve patient care.