Physicians’ interest in different strategies for supporting pain management and opioid prescribing: A cross-sectional study

Marcia G. Ory, PhD; Shinduk Lee, DrPH; Deborah Vollmer Dahlke, DrPH; Nicole Pardo, MD; Lixian Zhong, PhD; Carly E. McCord, PhD; Joy P. Alonzo, PharmD; Matthew Lee Smith, PhD

doi:10.5055/jom.2022.0746

Authors

Marcia G. Ory, PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8036-2383
Shinduk Lee, DrPH https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1336-819X
Deborah Vollmer Dahlke, DrPH https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1674-4998
Nicole Pardo, MD
Lixian Zhong, PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2048-122X
Carly E. McCord, PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4386-4928
Joy P. Alonzo, PharmD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3603-4099
Matthew Lee Smith, PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8232-9285

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jom.2022.0746

Keywords:

pain management, opioid prescribing, physician attitudes, intervention, implementation, support strategies

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore physicians’ attitudes toward different strategies for supporting pain management and opioid prescribing and to identify factors related to their attitudes toward the support strategies.

Design/setting/participants/measures: This preliminary cross-sectional study collected and analyzed online survey responses from physicians in Texas and Minnesota (N = 69) between December 2017 and February 2018. Primary outcomes were physicians’ interest in online continuing medical education (CME), mHealth patient monitoring system, and short, non-CME YouTube informational briefs about pain management and opioid prescribing. Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between physicians’ characteristics, attitudes, training, experience, practice setting, and their interest in three different support strategies.

Results: About 51-58 percent of physicians indicated moderate-to-extreme interest in online CME (54 percent), mHealth monitoring (58 percent), and short, non-CME YouTube informational briefs (51 percent). Physicians, who practiced in a medium or large practice setting, were less likely to be interested in online CME or short, non-CME YouTube informational briefs. Physicians who prescribed a small number of Schedule II opioids were more likely to be interested in short, non-CME YouTube informational briefs and mHealth monitoring.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that physicians may have different preferences in strategies for supporting their pain management and opioid prescribing practices. Future studies are needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying physicians’ interest in different support strategies.

Author Biographies

Marcia G. Ory, PhD

Center for Population Health and Aging, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

Shinduk Lee, DrPH

College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah; Center for Population Health and Aging, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

Deborah Vollmer Dahlke, DrPH

Center for Population Health and Aging, Texas A&M University, College Station; DVD Associates LLC, Austin, Texas

Nicole Pardo, MD

Center for Population Health and Aging, Texas A&M University, College Station; IntechHealth LLC, Humble, Texas

Lixian Zhong, PhD

Center for Population Health and Aging, Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; School of Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco, California

Carly E. McCord, PhD

Center for Population Health and Aging, College of Medicine, College of Education, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

Joy P. Alonzo, PharmD

Center for Population Health and Aging, Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

Matthew Lee Smith, PhD

Center for Population Health and Aging, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

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