573: Opioid Use in Jordan: A National Analysis of Prescriptions, 2021�2024

Topic: Education, Societal Impact, and Others
Subtopic: Epidemiology

Background and Aims: Opioids are considered the most potent analgesics and their prescribing rates have increased drastically over the last decade. Despite their effectiveness, opioids are associated with substantial risks, including addiction, abuse, and overdose-related mortality. While many countries have reported national prescribing trends, data from the Middle East remain limited, and Jordan has no published population-based evaluation of opioid use. This study explored national trends in opioid prescriptions in Jordan from 2021 to 2024, examined the types of opioids used, and compared prescribing patterns between cancer and non-cancer patients, including short-term and long-term non-cancer use.

Methods: A retrospective population-based study was conducted using the national prescription database of the Jordanian Ministry of Health. All opioid prescriptions dispensed between January 2020 and December 2024 were extracted. Opioids were classified by type, and patients were categorized based on diagnosis into cancer or non-cancer. Non-cancer users were further classified as short-term (<90 days) or long-term (≥90 days) opioid users. Descriptive and trend analyses were performed to assess changes in prescribing volume, opioid type distribution, and utilization patterns across study years.

Results: A total of 3,913 patients were included, comprising 2,376 cancer and 1,537 non-cancer patients (87% of the latter were short-term users). Breast and gastrointestinal cancers were most common among cancer patients, while musculoskeletal conditions and trauma predominated in non-cancer patients. The most frequently prescribed opioids were tramadol, fentanyl, and morphine. Short-term non-cancer users received higher mean daily doses than long-term users (47.5 mg vs. 36.2 mg). Most long-term users (57.4%) remained on low doses (≤20 mg), whereas short-term users were more likely to receive moderate doses (21–100 mg). High doses (>100 mg) were uncommon in both groups.

Conclusions: This study provides the first national evaluation of opioid prescribing trends in Jordan, revealing that while utilization is primarily driven by cancer-related pain, a significant portion of prescriptions are for short-term non-cancer use. Although high-dose prescribing remains uncommon and most long-term users are maintained on low doses, the higher mean daily doses observed in short-term non-cancer patients highlight a need for targeted clinical guidelines

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Presenting Author: Hussam Mizher
Submitting Author: Hussam Abdeljabar Ahmad Mizher

Senior Author: CHE SURAYA MOHD ZIN

IASP 2026 Global Year theme of Neuropathic Pain: No

• Dana Abdel Razaq Ahmad Bani Younes: Master - International Islamic University Malaysia
• CHE SURAYA MOHD ZIN: Professor - International Islamic University Malaysia