Painkiller addiction statistics among elderly has increased dramatically from 1996 to 2012: study

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A new study published in the Journal of Substance Use & Misuse reveals how the elderly has become the largest age group to seek narcotic painkillers and heroin treatment programs, HealthDay reports.

In fact, researchers found that those aged 50 to 59 accounted for about 8 percent of patients seeking narcotic painkiller and heroin treatment in 1996, but in 2012, the rate made a climb to 36 percent. Researchers also found that those aged 60 to 69 rose from 1.5 percent of the population of patients to 12 percent.

There are about 44.7 million elderly in the United States alone, representing 14.1 percent of the population, the Administration on Aging reports. These people are aged 65 years and above and are expected to grow to 21.7 percent of the population by 2040.

According to US News & World Report, researchers found a "pronounced age trend in those utilizing opioid treatment programs from 1996 to 2012, with adults aged 50 and older becoming the majority treatment population."

The study led by Dr. Benjamin Han from New York University showed that the proportion of treatment program patients aged 40 and below dropped from 56 percent in 1996 to 20 percent in 2012. In the age group of 60 and above, however, there was a 10 percent increase in white individuals and about 4 percent increase in Hispanics. Researchers found a 14 percent decrease in the number of African Americans in the same age group as well. The 50 to 59 age group saw an increased rate of 9 percent for Hispanics, 6 percent for African-Americans and 3.5 percent for whites.

"These increases are especially striking, considering there was about a 7.6 percent decrease in the total patient population over that period of time, and suggests that we are facing a never before seen epidemic of older adults with substance use disorders and increasing numbers of older adults in substance abuse treatment," Han commented.

Narcotic painkillers were cited by researchers as prescription painkillers like morphine, oxycodone (Oxycontin), and hydrocodone (Vicodin, Percocet), all of which are known as opioids.

Researchers also noted that the number of adults undergoing treatment programs for narcotic painkiller and heroin addiction is most likely going to climb in the coming years, and recommend that additional research is performed to determine the health needs of these patients.

Earlier this month, TIME reported that a new study revealed how 8 percent more adult Americans have used at least one prescription drug in the last 30 days. The same study revealed that among those in the 65 and above age group, 39 percent admitted to using five or more drugs in the last 30 days. Like Han, study author and epidemiologist Elizabeth Kantor hopes that these findings would provide insight on prescription drug use and help limit abuse.