The following is a summary of “General practitioners’ and community pharmacists’ beliefs and practices on opioids for non-malignant pain,” published in the June 2024 issue of Pain by Koerkamp et al.

In Europe, a notable increase in opioid consumption has been observed, primarily driven by prescriptions for chronic non-malignant pain (CNMP), with significant involvement from general practitioners (GPs) and community pharmacists (CPs) in prescribing opioids for such conditions.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study exploring the impact of GPs and CPs’ attitudes and actions regarding opioid use on the crisis, aiming to inform interventions to mitigate the escalation.

They employed a nationwide survey based on the health belief model to examine the practices and beliefs of GPs and CPs. The survey focused on four key areas, including perceived threats, benefits, barriers, and self-efficacy related to opioid use. Responses from both groups were compared for each statement using chi-square analysis to identify any differences in the perspectives. 

The result showed 214 GPs and 212 CPs were surveyed, in which the majority agreed on opioids overutilization in CNMP treatment (66.8% of GPs and 66.5% of CPs) and shared concerns regarding the addictive potential of opioids (83.1% of GPs and 71.7% of CPs). Both professions generally harbor reservations about opioid use. GPs reported marginally higher self-efficacy levels and perceived fewer therapeutic benefits from opioids in managing CNMP. While both groups valued recommended measures to reduce opioid prescriptions, only half actively implemented the strategies in practice.

Investigators concluded that the excessive use of opioids was recognized by GPs and CPs in CNMP treatment but needed support in implementing guidelines for improved opioid-related care with education, collaboration, and tools.

Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ejp.2304