Withdrawal and Misuse Concerns of Consumers regarding Opioid Analgesic and Anxiolytic, Hypnotic and Sedative Medicines.

Publisher: Informa Healthcare Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9602153 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1532-2491 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 10826084 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Subst Use Misuse Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: London : Informa Healthcare
Original Publication: Monticello, NY : Dekker, 1996-

Anti-Anxiety Agents*/adverse effects ; Consumer Health Information*; Analgesics, Opioid/adverse effects ; Australia ; Female ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives/adverse effects ; Information Seeking Behavior ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

Background: Opioid analgesic (OA) and anxiolytic, hypnotic and sedative (AHS) medicines use raise community concerns about risks of dependence: dose escalation, unintentional misuse. Objectives: We aimed to identify common consumer OA and AHS information gaps and concerns that led to information seeking from a hotline. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, mixed-method observational study of consumers' OA and AHS-related calls to an Australian national medicines call center (September 2002-30 June 2010). We analyzed these medicines' call characteristics compared to their respective rest of calls (ROC) and thematically explored narratives concerning withdrawal and misuse. Results: Of 123,217 calls, 7,395 (6.0%) involved OA and 7,789 (6.2%) AHS, with consistency between call characteristics. While female middle-aged callers predominated, more males called for these medicines than their complementary ROC. Uncertainty about unresolved OA and AHS concerns led to help-seeking that was consistent over eight years. Main motivations were inadequate information (OA 44.5%; AHS 41.2%), seeking a second opinion (OA 24.2%; AHS 24.2%), worrying symptoms (OA 21.6%; AHS 23.1%), and conflicting information (OA 4.9%; AHS 5.1%). Callers focused on withdrawal and issues related to inadvertent overuse or deliberate misuse (OA 9.2% vs. non-OA ROC 2.9%; AHS 12.6% vs. non-AHS ROC 2.7%). Primary themes were similar for both cohorts: concern about harm or aiming to minimize harm by information seeking, requesting a strategy, or reassurance. Conclusions: Consumers have under-recognized perceptions of harm from OA and AHS use, particularly withdrawal and misuse. Resources based on real world consumer concerns can encourage open dialogue between patients and their prescribers.

Keywords: Anti-anxiety agents; analgesics; drug information services; help-seeking behavior; hypnotics and sedatives; information seeking behavior; opioid; substance-related disorders

0 (Analgesics, Opioid)
0 (Anti-Anxiety Agents)
0 (Hypnotics and Sedatives)

Date Created: 20200703 Date Completed: 20210624 Latest Revision: 20210624

20250114

10.1080/10826084.2020.1784948

32613881