A US survey analysis compared reported misuse across medicines without measuring the probability of misuse for each treated patient.
What was compared
The study used National Survey on Drug Use and Health data to compare tramadol with several opioids and alprazolam. Past-year misuse was adjusted using prescription volume, and tramadol’s reported rate was lower than the comparator estimates. Lifetime analyses used a different historical period.
Misuse included use not directed by a doctor, which can encompass behaviors with different motives, frequency, and severity.
Prescription counts are not unique exposed people
One person may receive multiple prescriptions, and survey respondents may not align with the prescription denominator. The analysis therefore does not establish a patient-level probability of alprazolam misuse. Institutionalized and some other populations were excluded, and self-report introduces uncertainty.
For evidentiary use, specify the period, definition, and denominator. The study supports a population surveillance comparison, not an inference that a particular alprazolam user was misusing medication or was impaired.
Source paper
Original analysis of the supplied journal article, identified as PMC7271275.
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