Opioid Use Disorder Among Hospitalized Older Adults: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Discharge Status

Although policy, research, and media coverage predominantly focus on opioid addiction and overdoses in younger people, older adults are also susceptible to opioid-related morbidity and mortality.1 Data suggest that all-cause opioid-related hospitalizations have increased by 34% as non–opioid-related hospitalizations have decreased by 17% among adults aged ≥65 years from 2010 to 2015.2 Yet, the contribution of opioid use disorder (OUD) to this increase and characteristics of older adults with OUD are unknown.