The journal of behavioral health services & research
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J Behav Health Serv Res · Oct 2015
ReviewKey Data Gaps Regarding the Public Health Issues Associated with Opioid Analgesics.
Most pharmaceutical opioids are used to treat pain, and they have been demonstrated to be effective medications for many. Their abuse and misuse pose significant public health concerns in the USA. ⋯ Data specific to these gaps would enhance the validity and real-world applications of systems-level models of this public health problem and would increase understanding of the complex system in which use and abuse occur. This paper provides an overview of these gaps, argues for the importance of closing them, and provides specific recommendations for future data collection efforts.