Opioids for chronic pain: a knowledge assessment of nonpain specialty providers

Amy CS Pearson, Jason S Eldrige, Susan M Moeschler, W Michael Hooten Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA Introduction: Although the majority of opioids in the US are prescribed by nonpain specialists, these providers often report inadequate training in chronic pain managem...

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Main Authors: Pearson ACS, Eldrige JS, Moeschler SM, Hooten WM
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2016-03-01
Series:Journal of Pain Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/opioids-for-chronic-pain-a-knowledge-assessment-of-nonpain-specialty-p-peer-reviewed-article-JPR
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author Pearson ACS
Eldrige JS
Moeschler SM
Hooten WM
author_facet Pearson ACS
Eldrige JS
Moeschler SM
Hooten WM
author_sort Pearson ACS
collection DOAJ
description Amy CS Pearson, Jason S Eldrige, Susan M Moeschler, W Michael Hooten Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA Introduction: Although the majority of opioids in the US are prescribed by nonpain specialists, these providers often report inadequate training in chronic pain management and opioid prescribing. The extent of health care providers' knowledge of opioid prescribing for chronic pain has not been well established. The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge about the use of opioids for chronic pain among health care providers seeking pain-focused continuing medical education. Materials and methods: The study participants (n=131) were recruited at a pain-focused continuing medical education conference for nonpain specialists. Upon commencement of the conference, the KnowPain-50 survey was completed. The survey comprised 50 questions, and 18 questions were related to opioid management. The focus of each opioid question was further categorized as either medicolegal (n=7) or clinical (n=11). Results: The majority of study participants were male physicians with a mean age of 51.8 years. The proportion of correct responses to the 50-item survey was 72%. The proportion of correct responses to the 32 nonopioid questions was 74%, and the proportion of correct responses to the 18 opioid questions was 69% (P<0.001). Similarly, the proportion of correct responses to the seven medicolegal opioid questions was 74%, and the proportion of correct responses to the eleven clinical opioid questions was 67% (P<0.001). Conclusion: Health care providers demonstrated gaps in knowledge about the use of opioids for chronic pain. Lower scores on clinically based opioid questions may indicate an opportunity to provide focused educational content about this area of practice. This information could be helpful in designing future educational modules for nonpain providers. Keywords: chronic pain, opioids, prescription, continuing medical education
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spelling doaj.art-cb15151e1813470e88fe89819d3a0a0d2022-12-21T19:01:55ZengDove Medical PressJournal of Pain Research1178-70902016-03-012016Issue 112913525936Opioids for chronic pain: a knowledge assessment of nonpain specialty providersPearson ACSEldrige JSMoeschler SMHooten WMAmy CS Pearson, Jason S Eldrige, Susan M Moeschler, W Michael Hooten Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA Introduction: Although the majority of opioids in the US are prescribed by nonpain specialists, these providers often report inadequate training in chronic pain management and opioid prescribing. The extent of health care providers' knowledge of opioid prescribing for chronic pain has not been well established. The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge about the use of opioids for chronic pain among health care providers seeking pain-focused continuing medical education. Materials and methods: The study participants (n=131) were recruited at a pain-focused continuing medical education conference for nonpain specialists. Upon commencement of the conference, the KnowPain-50 survey was completed. The survey comprised 50 questions, and 18 questions were related to opioid management. The focus of each opioid question was further categorized as either medicolegal (n=7) or clinical (n=11). Results: The majority of study participants were male physicians with a mean age of 51.8 years. The proportion of correct responses to the 50-item survey was 72%. The proportion of correct responses to the 32 nonopioid questions was 74%, and the proportion of correct responses to the 18 opioid questions was 69% (P<0.001). Similarly, the proportion of correct responses to the seven medicolegal opioid questions was 74%, and the proportion of correct responses to the eleven clinical opioid questions was 67% (P<0.001). Conclusion: Health care providers demonstrated gaps in knowledge about the use of opioids for chronic pain. Lower scores on clinically based opioid questions may indicate an opportunity to provide focused educational content about this area of practice. This information could be helpful in designing future educational modules for nonpain providers. Keywords: chronic pain, opioids, prescription, continuing medical educationhttps://www.dovepress.com/opioids-for-chronic-pain-a-knowledge-assessment-of-nonpain-specialty-p-peer-reviewed-article-JPRchronic painopioidsprescriptioncontinuing medical education
spellingShingle Pearson ACS
Eldrige JS
Moeschler SM
Hooten WM
Opioids for chronic pain: a knowledge assessment of nonpain specialty providers
Journal of Pain Research
chronic pain
opioids
prescription
continuing medical education
title Opioids for chronic pain: a knowledge assessment of nonpain specialty providers
title_full Opioids for chronic pain: a knowledge assessment of nonpain specialty providers
title_fullStr Opioids for chronic pain: a knowledge assessment of nonpain specialty providers
title_full_unstemmed Opioids for chronic pain: a knowledge assessment of nonpain specialty providers
title_short Opioids for chronic pain: a knowledge assessment of nonpain specialty providers
title_sort opioids for chronic pain a knowledge assessment of nonpain specialty providers
topic chronic pain
opioids
prescription
continuing medical education
url https://www.dovepress.com/opioids-for-chronic-pain-a-knowledge-assessment-of-nonpain-specialty-p-peer-reviewed-article-JPR
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