Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41710020›Full record

ArticleFire (Basel, Switzerland)2025

Illicit Prescription Opioid Use Among U.S. Firefighters.

Richard R Suminski, Sara A Jahnke, Natinee Jitnarin, Christopher Kaipust, Christopher K Haddock, Walker S C Poston

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Fire (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Richard R SuminskiDepartment of Health Behavior and Nutrition Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, NJ 19716, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9401-8620
Sara A JahnkeCenter for Fire, Rescue, and EMS Health Research, NDRI-USA, Inc., New York, NY 10001, USA.
Natinee JitnarinCenter for Fire, Rescue, and EMS Health Research, NDRI-USA, Inc., New York, NY 10001, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6010-773X
Christopher KaipustCenter for Fire, Rescue, and EMS Health Research, NDRI-USA, Inc., New York, NY 10001, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8080-1489
Christopher K HaddockCenter for Fire, Rescue, and EMS Health Research, NDRI-USA, Inc., New York, NY 10001, USA.
Walker S C PostonCenter for Fire, Rescue, and EMS Health Research, NDRI-USA, Inc., New York, NY 10001, USA.

Funding

The Impact of Pharmaceutical Industry Messaging on the Opioid Crisis among U.S. Military VeteransR01DA058016 · NIDA · NDRI-USA, INC. · PI Luther Elliott, Christopher Keith Haddock · 2023 to 2026
$2.6M
NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA058016
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Firefighters are vulnerable to opioid misuse given the adverse effects their occupation has on mental and physical health. Yet there are limited data on opioid misuse within this population. This study examined the prevalence of illicit prescription opioid use among a nationally representative sample of U.S. firefighters and factors related to opioid misuse. Data were collected through reliable questionnaires from 617 firefighters prior to participating in an intervention designed to mitigate the negative impacts of trauma. The lifetime prevalence of illicit prescription opioid use was 14% compared to 13% in the general U.S. population. The most commonly misused opioids were hydrocodones with trade names Vicodin, Lortab, and Lorcet (72% of those illicitly using opioids). Illicit prescriptions opioid use was not significantly correlated with any demographics examined. However, firefighters who engaged in illicit opioid use exhibited poorer mental health, more alcohol-related problems, and an increased likelihood of misusing other prescription medications. In a regression analysis, alcohol consumption issues, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and the illicit use of sedatives and tranquilizers emerged as significant predictors of illicit prescription opioid use. Illicit prescription opioid use by firefighters is a potential problem especially when considered along with other factors such as mental health. Longitudinal studies are needed to further deepen our knowledge about this issue.

Indexed as

drug usefire servicemental healthself-medication

Identifiers

PMID41710020
PMCPMC12912795

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.