Title: Background information

Context:
The increase in opioid prescribing is matched by a parallel increase in morbidity, mortality, opioid-related  overdose death rates, and substance use disorders (SUD) treatment admissions from 1999 to 2008.  In 2009, drug overdose became the leading cause of injury-related death in the U.S., surpassing deaths from traffic accidents. In 2014, 1.9 million Americans were affected by an OUD related to non-medical  use of prescription pain relievers, and in the same year, 18,893 individuals died as a result of a  prescription drug overdose. There has been a four-fold increase in the absolute number of deaths  associated with use of opioids since 2000, and a 14% increase between 2013 and 2014 alone. In a survey of patients prescribed opioids for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) and their family members, 34% of patients reported that they thought they were “addicted” or “dependent” on opioid pain medication, 34% said that they used the medication for “fun” or to “get high,” while 22% used the medication to relieve day-to-day stress.

Question: As found from a survey of patients prescribed opioids for chronic non-cancer pain and their family members, how many patients reported that they thought they were addicted/dependent on opioid pain medication?

Answer: 34%