Affiliation:
1. Education and Research Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto, Japan
Abstract
Background Some Japanese patients with cancer pain have negative beliefs regarding opioid therapy. The Japanese version of the Barriers Questionnaire II (JBQ-II) determines barriers to cancer pain management. Few studies reported JBQ-II scores in Japan, and none focused on pharmacists. Accordingly, we aimed to explore the relationship between health care professionals’ knowledge of and willingness to use opioids, and their JBQ-II scores. Additionally, the variances in JBQ-II scores among nurses, hospital pharmacists, and pharmacy pharmacists were assessed. Methods This cross-sectional survey employed the JBQ-II for nurses and pharmacists in hospitals and pharmacies across Japan. Participants were requested to respond to the JBQ-II concerning their affiliation, knowledge of opioid analgesics, and willingness to utilize these drugs for medical practice. Results A total of 55 hospital pharmacists, 25 pharmacy pharmacists, and 24 nurses responded to the survey. The group-knowledgeable about medical use of narcotics had significantly lower total JBQ-II scores (25.43, standard deviation [SD]: 15.11) than those had by the group with insufficient knowledge (34.50, SD: 18.41). There was no statistically significant difference in total JBQ-II scores among those willing to use opioids medically. The total JBQ-II scores of hospital pharmacists, pharmacy pharmacists, and nurses were 31.00 (SD: 15.11), 33.96 (SD: 19.25), and 27.21 (SD: 15.56), respectively. However, the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions Health care professionals in Japan with knowledge about opioids for medical purposes had a significantly lower total JBQ-II score than those with insufficient knowledge. Thus, health care professionals’ knowledge plays a crucial role in reducing barriers to using narcotic drugs.