Yale University Research Finds Racial Disparity in Monitoring of Prescription Drug Abuse
In a study published in the journal Annals of Family Medicine, Yale University researchers found that black patients are more likely to be screened for prescription drug abuse than white patients. This racial disparity exists despite the fact that previous studies have shown that whites are more likely than blacks to abuse prescription drugs.
The researchers studied 1,600 patients who had been prescribed with opioid painkillers. The results showed that black patients were more likely to be scheduled for urine testing and had greater restrictions placed on refills than white patients.
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