Toward a Psychological Model of Chemical Coping with Opioids in Cancer Care

Abstract

Learning Objectives: After participating in this CME activity, the psychiatrist should be better able to • Outline the risk factors involved with opioid accessibility in patients receiving treatment for cancer. • Identify factors to address in order to mitigate risk for opioid misuse during cancer care. Abstract Most patients with advanced cancer receive treatment for related pain. Opioid accessibility, however, is a risk factor for misuse, which can present care challenges and quality-of-life concerns. There is a lack of consistent universal screening prior to initiation of opioid prescribing. One crucial issue in treating this population is adequately identifying and mitigating risk factors driving opioid misuse. Drawing on theory and research from addiction science, psychology, palliative care, and oncology, the presented conceptual framework suggests that risk factors for opioid misuse during cancer care can be stratified into historical, current, malleable, and unmalleable factors. The framework identifies necessary factors to address in order to mitigate risk for opioid misuse during cancer care, and offers key directions for future research.