Journal of opioid management
-
Review
Physician-related barriers to cancer pain management with opioid analgesics: a systematic review.
The purpose of this review is to summarize the results of studies on physician-related barriers to cancer pain management with opioid analgesics. ⋯ This review revealed mostly general and common physician-related barriers to cancer pain management: concerns about side effects to opioids, prescription of not efficient doses of opioids, and very poor prescription for the treatment of side effects from opioids. In the future, the evaluation of the influence of cultural-social-economical background, as well as the differences between the various specialists involved in the care of patients with cancer, should be explored to better understand physicians' barriers and more effectively address them in interventional and educational programs.