TY - JOUR
T1 - Cancer and Opioids
T2 - Patient Experiences With Stigma (COPES)—A Pilot Study
AU - Bulls, Hailey W.
AU - Hoogland, Aasha I.
AU - Craig, David
AU - Paice, Judith
AU - Chang, Young Doo
AU - Oberoi-Jassal, Ritika
AU - Rajasekhara, Sahana
AU - Haas, Meghan
AU - Bobonis, Margarita
AU - Gonzalez, Brian D.
AU - Portman, Diane
AU - Jim, Heather S.L.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by National Cancer Institute (R25 CA090314, PI: Brandon and P30 CA076292, PI: Sellers). David Craig is a consultant in Nektar Therapeutics and SpecGx. Heather S.L. Jim is a consultant in RedHill Biopharma and Janssen Scientific Affairs. Hailey W. Bulls, Aasha I. Hoogland, Judith Paice, Young Doo Chang, Ritika Oberoi-Jassal, Sahana Rajasekhara, Meghan Haas, Margarita Bobonis, Brian D. Gonzalez, and Diane Portman report no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Funding Information:
This study was supported by National Cancer Institute ( R25 CA090314 , PI: Brandon and P30 CA076292 , PI: Sellers).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
PY - 2019/4
Y1 - 2019/4
N2 - Context: Cancer-related pain is a common symptom that is often treated with opioids. However, legislation aimed at containing the opioid crisis, coupled with public fears about opioid risks, may contribute to opioid stigma in cancer patients. To our knowledge, no prior research has examined opioid stigma and stigma-related behavior in this population. Objective: The objectives of this study were to describe opioid use, including reasons for use and overuse and underuse behavior; characterize opioid stigma; and identify potentially maladaptive stigma-related behaviors. Methods: Participants were 125 adults undergoing active cancer treatment seen at the Moffitt Supportive Care Medicine Clinic. Patients completed a brief, anonymous questionnaire evaluating opioid use, opioid stigma, and stigma-related behaviors. Results: Patients were primarily women (65%) aged 45-64 years (49%), most commonly diagnosed with breast (23%) and hematologic (15%) cancer. Among patients who reported opioid use (n = 109), the most common reason for use was pain relief (94%), followed by improved sleep (25%). A subset of patients reported using less (13%) or more (8%) opioid medication than advised. Opioid stigma was endorsed by 59/97 patients prescribed opioids (61%), including fear of addiction (36%), difficulty filling prescriptions (22%), and awkwardness communicating with providers (15%). Stigma-related behaviors were endorsed by 28 (29%) respondents prescribed opioids, with “taking less opioid medication than needed” as the most commonly endorsed behavior (20%). Conclusion: To our knowledge, this study provides the first evidence of opioid stigma and its consequences in cancer patients and offers potential targets for interventions aimed at reducing stigma and encouraging safe, effective opioid use.
AB - Context: Cancer-related pain is a common symptom that is often treated with opioids. However, legislation aimed at containing the opioid crisis, coupled with public fears about opioid risks, may contribute to opioid stigma in cancer patients. To our knowledge, no prior research has examined opioid stigma and stigma-related behavior in this population. Objective: The objectives of this study were to describe opioid use, including reasons for use and overuse and underuse behavior; characterize opioid stigma; and identify potentially maladaptive stigma-related behaviors. Methods: Participants were 125 adults undergoing active cancer treatment seen at the Moffitt Supportive Care Medicine Clinic. Patients completed a brief, anonymous questionnaire evaluating opioid use, opioid stigma, and stigma-related behaviors. Results: Patients were primarily women (65%) aged 45-64 years (49%), most commonly diagnosed with breast (23%) and hematologic (15%) cancer. Among patients who reported opioid use (n = 109), the most common reason for use was pain relief (94%), followed by improved sleep (25%). A subset of patients reported using less (13%) or more (8%) opioid medication than advised. Opioid stigma was endorsed by 59/97 patients prescribed opioids (61%), including fear of addiction (36%), difficulty filling prescriptions (22%), and awkwardness communicating with providers (15%). Stigma-related behaviors were endorsed by 28 (29%) respondents prescribed opioids, with “taking less opioid medication than needed” as the most commonly endorsed behavior (20%). Conclusion: To our knowledge, this study provides the first evidence of opioid stigma and its consequences in cancer patients and offers potential targets for interventions aimed at reducing stigma and encouraging safe, effective opioid use.
KW - Opioids
KW - cancer pain
KW - opioid stigma
KW - pain management
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2019.01.013
DO - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2019.01.013
M3 - Article
C2 - 30703463
AN - SCOPUS:85061545871
SN - 0885-3924
VL - 57
SP - 816
EP - 819
JO - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
JF - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
IS - 4
ER -