Examining Prescription Opioid Use and Physician Backgrounds: A Register-based Study in Finland  (OpioidsYJS2)


Päärahoittaja

Rahoittajan antama koodi/diaarinumero20247778


Päärahoittajan myöntämä tuki (€)

  • 10 000,00


Rahoitusohjelma


Hankkeen aikataulu

Hankkeen aloituspäivämäärä01.01.2025

Hankkeen päättymispäivämäärä31.12.2025


Tiivistelmä

Prescription opioid overuse has become a significant public health concern in many European countries, including Finland. This research project aims to investigate the determinants of opioid prescribing using Finnish nationwide register data, focusing on physician ability as a key factor. We also study the effects of opioid prescribing on patient health, since opioids have a dual nature as both a benefit and a risk to health. We measure physician ability using matriculation exam scores, hypothesizing that lower-ability physicians may rely on cognitive shortcuts, leading to inappropriate opioid prescriptions. Our analysis uses linked patient and physician data, controlling for patient characteristics and employing provider fixed effects. We address the challenge of patient-physician selection by analyzing public and private healthcare providers separately and applying patient fixed effects. Additionally, we explore instrumental variable strategies using parental education as an instrument for physician’s own ability. This research contributes to understanding how physician background characteristics influence opioid prescribing, and its effects on patient health, and provides policy-relevant insights into addressing the overprescribing of strong pain medications in Finland.


Vastuullinen johtaja


Muut hankkeeseen liittyvät henkilöt (JYU)


Päävastuullinen yksikkö


Seurantakohteet

ProfiloitumisalueHyvinvoinnin tutkimuksen yhteisö (Jyväskylän yliopisto JYU) JYU.Well


Viimeisin päivitys 2025-03-01 klo 11:04