According to a new study, one-third of the U.S. workforces uses prescription pain medications. The study also showed that alcohol abuse and dependence rates exceed the problematic use of pain relievers and other prescription medications. However, excess absences associated with pain relievers were greater than those related to other substances. The problematic use of pain relievers was associated with 2.0 absences, or 1.2 excess days per month compared with non-users. Beyond concerns about opioid use, the study puts a spotlight on the problem of pain among the U.S. workforce and their use of medication to treat it. Read the full article.
