Opioid Use Among Elderly and Non-Elderly Adults by Socioeconomic Characteristics

This data visualization, based on four statistical briefs from AHRQ's Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, provides estimates on "frequent use" and "any use" of opioids among adults aged 65 and older and adults aged 18–64 during 2015–16 and 2020–21. The visualization allows users to explore the data by age cohort and by seven demographic categories: sex, race/ethnicity, poverty, insurance coverage, health status, region and metropolitan statistical area (MSA).

Highlights for Adults Aged 65 and Older

• In 2020–2021, 12.8 percent of adults aged 65 and older, on average, filled at least one outpatient opioid prescription, and 4.4 percent had four or more prescription fills during the year.
• During this period, adults aged 65 and older who were poor (6.1 percent), low income (6.6 percent), or middle income (5.2 percent) were more likely than high-income (2.6 percent) adults aged 65 and older to obtain four or more opioid prescription fills during the year.
• In 2015–2016, 19.3 percent of adults aged 65 and older, on average, filled at least 1 outpatient opioid prescription, and 7.1 percent obtained four or more prescription fills during the year.
• During the same period, adults aged 65 and older who were poor (9.5 percent) or low income (11.3 percent) were more likely than middle-income (6.8 percent) and high-income (4.5 percent) adults aged 65 and older to obtain four or more opioid prescription fills during the year.

Highlights for Adults Aged 18–64

• In 2020–2021, 6.4 percent of adults aged 18–64, on average, filled at least one outpatient opioid prescription, and 1.8 percent had four or more prescription fills during the year.
• During this period, women were more likely to fill at least one opioid prescription (7.7 percent) and to have four or more opioid prescription fills (2.2 percent) than men (5.0 percent and 1.4 percent).
• In 2015–2016, 13.0 percent of adults aged 18-64, on average, filled at least 1 outpatient opioid prescription, and 3.1 percent had four or more prescription fills during the year.
• During the same period, women were more likely than men to have any opioid use during the year (14.8 versus 11.1 percent) and to have frequent opioid use (3.6 versus 2.6 percent).