A new survey from WebMD/Medscape unveils a considerable knowledge gap on issues surrounding opioids and prescription drug abuse among both patients and healthcare providers.
The survey was conducted online and includes responses from nearly 1,900 consumers and more than 1,500 healthcare professionals. Questions included on the survey delved into opioid prescribing practices, use and disposal of these medicines, and knowledge surrounding misuse and addiction.
Highlighted below are five findings on how consumers use these prescription pain relievers, and what they know about them.
1. Roughly one-third (35 percent) said they had taken an opioid in the past three years.
2. Nearly all (92 percent) said they have explored other pain relief alternatives, including over-the-counter medication (80 percent), topical prescriptions (32 percent) or alternatives such as acupuncture (25 percent).
3. Of those who tried pain relief alternatives, only 26 percent said the other option was effective.
4. Forty-one percent of consumers report saving their unused opioids for future use, and roughly the same amount — 42 percent — think it is rare for those pills to fall into someone else's hands, including children and teens.
5. Approximately half of consumers say they have concerns about patients becoming addicted, but only 21 percent are concerned for themselves or their loved ones.
And here are five findings on what healthcare providers know about opioids and their prescribing practices.
1. Virtually all (99 percent) of the 1,513 professionals surveyed reporting having concerns about opioid misuse.
2. Most healthcare providers say they discuss concerns with patients about the risk of addiction and abuse (86 percent), how and when to take the medications (91 percent) and side effects (93 percent).
3. That said, almost half (45 percent) of the providers surveyed say they do not discuss how to safely store or properly dispose of these medications, even though 36 percent believe opioids frequently fall into the wrong hands.
4. Eighty-eight percent say they do prescribe opioids, but more than two-thirds report they now write fewer prescriptions for them.
5. More than one-third believe the backlash against opioids may be driving patients to drugs such as heroin or morphine.
According to WebMD Medical Expert Arefa Cassoobhoy, MD, understanding the principles of pain management treatment is key.
"From the survey results, we know patients are trying nonopioid pain medication before opioids, which is good," Dr. Cassoobhy told Becker's Hospital Review. "But, are patients and doctors maximizing nonopioids with nondrug treatments before starting opioids? Addressing pain via multiple methods is more successful."
For more survey findings, click here.
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