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Table 2 Attitudes and practices regarding opioid prescribing in older adults

From: Primary care providers' perspective on prescribing opioids to older adults with chronic non-cancer pain: A qualitative study

 

Participants mentioning (N = 26) n (%)

Attitudes and practices

 

   Does not consider opioid to be first-line treatment

26 (100)

   Prescribes to older adults as treatment for chronic pain

25 (96)

   Uses cautiously or hesitantly

24 (92)

   Endorses greater comfort prescribing to palliative care patients

19 (73)

   Viewed as effective therapy for certain older patients

11 (42)

Factors that increase likelihood of prescribing

 

   Reliable patient and reliable caregiver in the home

12 (46)

   Identifiable etiology of pain

8 (31)

   History of beneficial results with opioid use in the past

5 (19)

Factors that decrease likelihood of prescribing

 

   Patient is unreliable or no caregiver in the home

13 (50)

   Cognitive impairment

8 (31)

   Polypharmacy or impaired drug metabolism

4 (15)