TY - JOUR
T1 - A qualitative assessment of perceptions and attitudes toward postoperative pain and opioid use in patients undergoing elective knee arthroscopy
AU - Anand, Amit
AU - Roche, Donal
AU - Wright, Sarah R.
AU - Tjong, Vehniah K.
AU - Rana, Jesleen K.
AU - Abouali, Jihad
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 CMA Impact Inc.
PY - 2022/7
Y1 - 2022/7
N2 - Background: Orthopedic surgeons routinely prescribe opioids to manage postoperative pain. In the face of an opioid epidemic, a one-size-fits-all approach to pain management is no longer appropriate. Patient-centred prescribing practices should be used by surgeons; however, little is known about what influences patient attitudes toward postoperative pain and its management to inform such practices. We sought to explore patient attitudes toward postsurgical pain management, including opioids. Methods: We conducted qualitative, semistructured interviews of 11 opioid-naive patients (age 16-46 yr) who were scheduled to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery. Transcripts were analyzed thematically using a framework analysis that involved familiarization, developing a thematic framework, indexing, charting and mapping, and interpretation. Results: Participant attitudes toward postoperative pain and opioids were influenced by perceived tolerance to pain based on personal experience, perceived predisposition to addiction based on personal assumptions regarding addictive personality traits and risk factors, and perceptions of opioid use shaped by external influences, including family, friends and the media's depiction of the opioid epidemic. Every patient expressed that preoperative counselling and education regarding postoperative pain management would be beneficial in improving their knowledge base, easing anxieties and clarifying misunderstandings. Conclusion: Surgeons can address the patient-reported factors identified in this study to help optimize a patient's perioperative experience without relying solely on prescribed analgesia. By improving accessibility to education and promoting safe, patient-centred prescribing practices, we may reduce reliance on opioids in orthopedic surgery.
AB - Background: Orthopedic surgeons routinely prescribe opioids to manage postoperative pain. In the face of an opioid epidemic, a one-size-fits-all approach to pain management is no longer appropriate. Patient-centred prescribing practices should be used by surgeons; however, little is known about what influences patient attitudes toward postoperative pain and its management to inform such practices. We sought to explore patient attitudes toward postsurgical pain management, including opioids. Methods: We conducted qualitative, semistructured interviews of 11 opioid-naive patients (age 16-46 yr) who were scheduled to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery. Transcripts were analyzed thematically using a framework analysis that involved familiarization, developing a thematic framework, indexing, charting and mapping, and interpretation. Results: Participant attitudes toward postoperative pain and opioids were influenced by perceived tolerance to pain based on personal experience, perceived predisposition to addiction based on personal assumptions regarding addictive personality traits and risk factors, and perceptions of opioid use shaped by external influences, including family, friends and the media's depiction of the opioid epidemic. Every patient expressed that preoperative counselling and education regarding postoperative pain management would be beneficial in improving their knowledge base, easing anxieties and clarifying misunderstandings. Conclusion: Surgeons can address the patient-reported factors identified in this study to help optimize a patient's perioperative experience without relying solely on prescribed analgesia. By improving accessibility to education and promoting safe, patient-centred prescribing practices, we may reduce reliance on opioids in orthopedic surgery.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85133258066&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85133258066&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1503/cjs.004321
DO - 10.1503/cjs.004321
M3 - Article
C2 - 35790242
AN - SCOPUS:85133258066
SN - 0008-428X
VL - 65
SP - E440-E446
JO - Canadian Journal of Surgery
JF - Canadian Journal of Surgery
IS - 4
ER -