Associations Between Early Care Decisions and the Risk for Long-term Opioid Use for Patients With Low Back Pain With a New Physician Consultation and Initiation of Opioid Therapy

Early care decisions were predictive of LTO use following a new LBP consultation at which opioids were prescribed. Our results support recommendations to avoid concurrent benzodiazepine prescribing and to consider other evidence-based pain treatments such as physical therapy early, particularly for patients at high risk for LTO use or misuse.