Opioid Prescriptions Continue to Decline in the U.S., Widening Disparities in Black and Latino Communities

Over the past decade, the United States has significantly reduced opioid prescriptions, including morphine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone, in an effort to curb addiction. While this initiative aims to mitigate the opioid crisis, it has raised concerns about its disproportionate impact on Black and Latino communities, which already face barriers to adequate pain management.

Sharp Decline in Opioid Prescriptions

According to the American Medical Association (AMA), opioid prescriptions nationwide have decreased by 44.4% over the last ten years. This shift is due to increased regulation and stricter prescribing guidelines aimed at reducing opioid dependence and overdose deaths.

Similarly, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights that opioid dispensing rates fell from 81.3 prescriptions per 100 people in 2012 to 43.3 per 100 people in 2017, and this downward trend has continued through 2025.

Disproportionate Impact on Black and Latino Patients

While reducing opioid prescriptions is intended to prevent addiction, it has also exacerbated disparities in pain management for minority communities. A study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that Black and Latino patients were significantly less likely than White patients to receive opioid prescriptions for pain relief, despite similar levels of reported pain severity across racial groups.

Additionally, a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study found that Black patients not only receive fewer opioid prescriptions but also tend to receive shorter treatment durations and lower doses compared to White patients. This disparity is particularly evident in hospital discharge cases, where Black patients report higher levels of untreated pain.

Persistent Inequities in Pain Treatment

Racial disparities in pain management are not new. Decades of research have shown that Black and Latino patients systematically receive fewer pain medications, often due to implicit biases and structural barriers within the healthcare system.

A report in the Journal of Clinical Oncology revealed that minority cancer patients were less likely to receive opioid prescriptions, even when factors such as income, insurance coverage, and geographic location were adjusted.

Additionally, Black patients are more likely to undergo drug screening before receiving opioid prescriptions, reflecting a persistent bias that considers them at higher risk of substance abuse—despite data showing similar or lower rates of opioid misuse compared to White patients.

Addressing the Crisis: Balancing Addiction Prevention and Equitable Pain Treatment

While reducing opioid prescriptions is a key strategy to combat addiction, healthcare providers must ensure that these policies do not compromise adequate pain management for marginalized groups. Experts suggest that equitable pain management strategies should include:

✅ Expanding access to non-opioid treatments such as physical therapy, acupuncture, and cognitive behavioral therapy, particularly in underserved areas.

✅ Training healthcare providers to recognize and address implicit biases in pain assessment and prescribing practices.

✅ Implementing standardized pain assessment tools to ensure that treatment decisions are based on clinical need rather than racial or ethnic assumptions.

✅ Advocating for policy changes to ensure that opioid prescribing guidelines do not disproportionately restrict access for minority patients with legitimate pain management needs.

Conclusion

Efforts to reduce opioid dependence in the U.S. are a critical public health initiative, but their unintended consequences must be addressed. Black and Latino patients, who already face healthcare access disparities, should not be disproportionately affected by opioid prescribing restrictions.

Moving forward, balancing addiction prevention with equitable pain relief strategies will be essential to ensuring that all communities receive fair and appropriate healthcare.