The Opioid Crisis: A Human and Economic Tragedy in the U.S.

The Opioid Crisis: A Major Concern at WCRI Annual Conference

The Workers’ Compensation Research Institute’s (WCRI) Annual Issues and Research Conference in 2019 highlighted the ongoing opioid crisis as a significant issue affecting workers’ compensation insurance. Opioid use can increase a worker’s risk of disability, leading to dependency, higher costs, and even addiction and death. This crisis has significantly increased the costs of workers’ compensation claims.

The Crisis Continues: Alarming Statistics

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 70,327 fatal drug overdoses in the U.S. in 2017, a three-fold increase from 2002. Opioid-related drug overdoses accounted for 68 percent of total overdose deaths in 2017, up from 11,920 in 2002. The crisis is most concentrated among men and women with lower levels of education, but no group has been spared.

Blue-Collar Trades: Most Impacted by Opioid Abuse

Dr. Vennela Thumela of the WCRI found that mining and construction workers were most impacted by opioid abuse, with higher rates of opioid prescriptions correlating with older, male workers living in rural areas. Dr. Letitia Davis of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health found similar evidence, with construction workers overdosing at six times the expected rate. The economic cost of the opioid crisis was estimated at over $500 billion in 2015, with the cost in 2017 alone being about $750 billion.

In conclusion, the opioid crisis is a human and economic tragedy that requires immediate and effective action. Readers are advised to stay informed about the crisis, support policies and programs aimed at addressing it, and seek help if they or someone they know is struggling with opioid addiction.