A recent survey conducted by Pacira Pharmaceuticals and HealthyWomen, a nonprofit health information source for women, reveals many women used opioids or narcotics following a surgery, despite knowing the risk of addiction.
The survey was conducted between May and June and included responses from more than 700 U.S. women who had undergone surgery.
Highlighted below are three findings from the suvey.
1. More than 90 percent of respondents were aware of the risk of addiction to narcotics, and said they would prefer not to use them to manage pain after their procedure.
2. Despite their reservations about prescription painkillers, 80 percent said they still used them after surgery.
3. The women surveyed unanimously indicated they wanted a say in the decisions made regarding their pain management, yet only 27 percent initiated a discussion about options with their physician.
"The women we surveyed were savvy about narcotic-related risks. In fact, over a third of them reported personally knowing someone who developed an addiction from postsurgical use. I find it worrisome that women aren't expressing their concerns to their physicians, and as a result, are routinely receiving medications they prefer to avoid," said breast cancer surgeon and women's health advocate Kristi Funk, MD.
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