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Most US Residents Unaware PCPs Can Prescribe Medication for Opioid Use Disorder
Three-quarters of US residents in a national survey did not know primary care physicians (PCPs) could prescribe medications for people with opioid use disorder (OUD) or believed incorrectly that they could not, according to a study findings published in JAMA Network Open.
“We’ve made great strides in making it easier for primary care doctors to prescribe these safe and effective treatments, but our study indicates a critical disconnect between the need for medications for OUD and people’s knowledge about how to access them,” said study lead author Brandon del Pozo, PhD, an assistant professor at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island.
Recent federal policy changes have eliminated requirements for specialized training for physicians to prescribe buprenorphine and lifted patient caps. Nevertheless, researchers wrote, wide gaps remain between buprenorphine need and provision of the medication in primary care settings.
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The study investigated public awareness of OUD treatment in primary care. Researchers formulated questions for a survey conducted in English and Spanish by the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network. Some 1234 adults completed surveys either online or by phone in June 2023.
According to the findings, 61.4% of respondents did not know PCPs could treat people with OUD by prescribing medications, and another 13.3% incorrectly believed that PCPs could not. Of note, Black respondents were most likely to think they could not receive OUD medication via primary care.
However, most respondents agreed (53.9%) or strongly agreed (24.9%) that people ought to be able to access OUD treatment in primary care settings. Additionally, 81.3% of respondents who reported ever misusing prescription or illicit opioids said they would be comfortable seeking OUD medication from a PCP. Of respondents who had not misused opioids, 73.9% said they would feel comfortable referring loved ones to their PCP for OUD medication.
Based on the findings, researchers suggested strategies to raise public awareness, including educational materials in waiting and exam rooms, and proactive screening during PCP visits.
“Measures to raise awareness about the opportunity to receive medication for OUD from PCPs may increase demand and incentivize PCPs to offer medication for OUD,” researchers wrote, “especially if accompanied by clinical and administrative support, such as access to addiction medicine consultations.”
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