Defining and Measuring Opiophobia: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT

Background

“Opiophobia” lacks a clear definition and measurement, but it is commonly used by researchers and healthcare professionals in pain management to describe the underutilization of opioids by patients, caregivers, prescribers, and other healthcare professionals. This inconsistency complicates research and clinical interventions.

Objective

This systematic review aimed to comprehensively evaluate the conceptualization and operationalization of opiophobia across quantitative studies involving adult populations.

Methods

Peer-reviewed articles published before July 2024 were retrieved from four bibliographic databases (CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, and Scopus) and systematically reviewed. Included studies defined and/or measured opiophobia or opioid stigma among adult patients, family caregivers, and healthcare professionals. The review was conducted in two phases: the first phase provided a comprehensive understanding of study characteristics, while the second phase evaluated the conceptualization and measurement of opiophobia.

Results

Thirty-six articles met inclusion criteria. Studies focused on healthcare professionals (n = 23, 64%); adult patients (n = 13, 33%), including 7 studies involving patients with cancer (19%); healthcare professionals and patients (n = 2, 5%); and family caregivers (n = 1, 3%). Among the studies that defined opiophobia (n = 20, 67%), common definitions included fear, prejudice, reluctance, addiction, exaggeration, underutilization, and inappropriate attitudes/beliefs, respectively. Limitations included the predominance of observational designs (n = 32, 89%) and the use of investigator-developed instruments (n = 27, 73%).

Linking Evidence to Action

Instruments measuring opiophobia focused on opioid-related fears and behaviors. Instrument items that measured opiophobia primarily focused on fears and behaviors resulting from these fears. It remains unclear whether opiophobia is solely fear-based or also includes poor adherence to prescribed opioids. The wide variations in definitions and the use of mostly investigator-developed measures led to inconsistencies among studies. Further research is needed to design specific interventions and determine delivery times.