To characterize racial and ethnic disparities and trends in opioid access and urine drug screening among patients dying of cancer, and to explore potential mechanisms.Among 318,549 non-Hispanic White , Black, and Hispanic Medicare decedents older than 65 years with poor-prognosis cancers, we examined 2007-2019 trends in opioid prescription fills and potency near the end of life , defined as 30 days before death or hospice enrollment.
There are substantial and persistent racial and ethnic inequities in opioid access among older patients dying of cancer, which are not mediated by socioeconomic variables.To quantify racial and ethnic disparities in opioid access and urine drug screening among patients with poor-prognosis cancers near the end of life, and to explore potential mechanisms.