Factors Influencing Clinician Decision Making Regarding Opioid Prescribing and Pain Management

Doctoral Candidate Name: Meghan Wally
Program: Public Health Sciences
Defense Date and Time: October 5, 2021 – 1:00 PM
Defense Location: Zoom Meeting ID: 955 8016 6558 Passcode: 137539
Committee chair’s Name: Dr. Michael Thompson
Committee Members: Dr. Susan Odum, Dr. Teresa Scheid, Dr. Donna Kazemi
Abstract:

Opioid overdose deaths have increased substantially over the past fifteen years. I characterized the experience of the medical community and measured the multi-level factors influencing opioid prescribing within the context of legislation and clinical decision support interventions.

My content analysis of letters to the editor in JAMA demonstrated that physicians seek to balance pain management and the adverse effects of opioids. Physicians took ownership of their role in the epidemic but called upon the government and community to help address the issue.

My interrupted time series study revealed that legislation resulted in patients with acute musculoskeletal injury (n=12,918) having 17.7% increased frequency (p