BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article
Front. Pain Res.
Sec. Geriatric Pain
Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpain.2025.1666006
This article is part of the Research TopicOpioids and Pain in Older AdultsView all articles
The Intersection of Aging, Pain, and Opioid Use Disorder: A Retrospective Chart Review from an Outpatient Opioid Treatment Clinic
Provisionally accepted
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
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Introduction: Older adults represent a growing proportion of individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) and adults 55+ are significantly more likely to experience a fatal overdose. Pain is a particularly relevant concern in this population, given its bidirectional relationship with opioid use and aging-related health challenges. This exploratory pilot study examined age-related differences in health and treatment characteristics among patients in outpatient opioid treatment. Methods: This retrospective chart review analyzed data from 79 patients (ages 23–70) seeking care at an outpatient opioid treatment clinic. Data were extracted from electronic health records and included demographics, substance use, diagnoses, current pain, depression, quality of life, and treatment characteristics. Associations between age and clinical variables were analyzed using correlational, logistic regression, and repeated-measures ANCOVA methods. Results: Older age was predictive of past pain-related diagnoses and older adults (55+) had longer histories of illicit opioid use (mean = 30 years) and tobacco smoking (mean = 43 years). While polysubstance use was more common among younger patients, fentanyl use was high across all ages (~65%). Older adults received higher methadone doses and remained in treatment longer. Despite greater chronic exposure to opioids, age was not associated with depression or quality of life scores. Conclusions: Findings reveal distinct age-related patterns in opioid and substance use, pain history, and treatment engagement among patients with OUD. The data suggest that older adults may face unique risks related to cumulative opioid exposure and co-occurring pain. Integrated, age-responsive approaches are needed to address the complex needs of this growing population.
Keywords: Opioid use disorder1, overdose2, Older Adults3, Aging4, Pain5
Received: 14 Jul 2025; Accepted: 28 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Kleykamp, Smith, Lynch, Greenblatt and Weintraub. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Bethea A Kleykamp, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
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