Managing opioid reduction in chronic pain: A qualitative study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Reducing the use of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain: Patient and Health Professionals views
IRAS ID
242720
Contact name
Helen Poole
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Liverpool John Moores University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 0 days
Research summary
Around one in five of the population worldwide experience chronic pain and its associated detrimental effects on the quality of their daily lives. A significant number of people with Chronic Non-Cancer Pain (CNCP) in the UK are on chronic regimens of high dose opioids with little benefit, but potential risks. There is a need to monitor and respond to the inappropriate use of prescription opioids and enhance health professional competencies and guidance for standards of care and best prescribing practice. Our ultimate aim is to develop an intervention to support health care professionals and patients during the process of reducing or discontinuing inappropriate opioid medication use for CNCP. To do this, our initial study will involve interviews with health care professionals involved in the care of patients with CNCP (e.g. Pain clinicians, specialist nurse prescribers, pharmacists) and patients about opioid use and discontinuation in the context of CNCP. Specifically, we will explore factors that influence decisions about opioid use, reduction and discontinuation; identify concerns, barriers and enablers to the process of reducing or discontinuing opioids; explore what support mechanisms participants would find helpful to facilitate behaviour change in this context from both practitioner and patient perspective. The results of the interviews will help us understand the support needed and will be used to devise the content and delivery of a brief intervention to support patients and health care professionals during the process of reducing or discontinuing inappropriate opioid use.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NW/0217
Date of REC Opinion
17 Apr 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion