Opioid prescribing is still high and varies widely throughout the U.S. – infographic

Back to the press releases: Opioid prescribing is still high and varies widely throughout the U.S.

Graphic shows a map of the US. Counties in the US vary regarding the amount of opioids prescribed per person.

The amount of opioids prescribed per person varied widely among counties in 2015.

MME per person

Insufficient data

0.1 – 453

454 – 676

677 – 958

959 – 5,543

Higher opioid prescribing puts patients at risk for addiction and overdose. The wide variation among counties suggests a lack of consistency among providers when prescribing opioids. The CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain offers recommendations that may help to improve prescribing practices and ensure all patients receive safer, more effective pain treatment.

CDC Vital Signs, July 2017.