Skyler Chouinard, BS; Aman Prasad, PhD; Randall Brown, MD, PhD
WMJ. 2018;117(1):34-37.
ABSTRACT
Background: There is a national opioid misuse and overdose crisis. Consensus guidelines seek to inform practice and reduce risk; however, effect on clinician attitudes and knowledge remains unclear.
Methods: We surveyed 228 medical students and physicians in Wisconsin to assess their knowledge regarding at-risk patients, alternatives to opioids, and best treatment practices for opioid addiction. We also assessed attitudes about prescribing naloxone, relapse likelihood, and responsibility for the crisis.
Results: Knowledge and attitudes were similar, including that overprescribing by health care professionals is a driving factor. Attitudes on relapse likelihood were different, but both groups believed sustained recovery from addiction was possible.
Discussion: Enhancement of opioid-related education is both necessary to address knowledge gaps and desired by students and physicians.
Author Affiliations: University of Wisconsin (UW) School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wis (Chouinard, Prasad, Brown); Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, UW-Madison, Madison, Wis (Brown).
Corresponding Author: Randall Brown, MD, PhD, FASAM, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of WisconsinMadison, 1100 Delaplaine Ct, Madison, WI 53715; phone 608.263.6558; fax 608.263.5813; email randy.brown@fammed.wisc.edu.
Acknowledgement: The authors thank Caroline Miller and Florence Hilliard of Wisconsin Voices for Recovery for help designing the survey.
Funding/Support: None declared.
Financial disclosures: None declared.