New research has found that patients want to be given more information about their pain management options, Science Daily reports.
While it goes without saying that prescription opioids are the most effective analgesics available, the researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that emergency room patients have misperceptions about opioid dependence and expressed a desire for better communication from physicians.
Using semi-structured open-ended telephone interviews with 23 patients discharged from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, according to the article, the researchers found that the main themes of the interviews included opioid dependence, addiction and doctor-patient communication about pain management. For example:
- A fear of developing dependence or addiction.
- Worries about following prescribed dosing preventing the possibility of addiction.
- Relying on media and other individuals as a source of information about opioids.
- Awareness of physicians' need to balance patients' pain management needs and safe opioid prescribing guidelines.
The study was published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
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