We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Pain medication beliefs in individuals with headache.
- Authors
Turner, Dana P.; Bertsch, Julia; Caplis, Emily; Houle, Timothy T.
- Abstract
Objective: To evaluate pain medication beliefs in a community sample of individuals with headache. Background: Previous studies of medication adherence for individuals with headache have identified a high rate of prescription nonfulfillment, frequent medication discontinuation, and widely varying levels of medication‐related satisfaction. Still, there is a limited understanding of how these individuals view their medications and their relationships with health‐care providers. Insight into these perceptions could prove useful in explaining medication adherence behaviors. Methods: In this secondary analysis of a cross‐sectional study, data from N = 215 adults with headache were analyzed. Participants completed the Pain Medication Attitudes Questionnaire (PMAQ), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES‐D), State–Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y‐2, Weekly Stress Inventory Short Form, and Migraine Disability Scale. These participants also provided a list of their current pain medications. Results: Using the PMAQ, participants could be characterized as having medication beliefs that were "trusting and unconcerned" (n = 83/215 [38.6%]), "skeptical and somewhat worried" (n = 99/215 [46.0%]), or "skeptical and concerned" (n = 33/215 [15.3%]). Individuals with skeptical and concerned beliefs expressed elevated concerns (z > 1.15) about side effects, scrutiny, perceived need, tolerance, withdrawal, and addiction. Individuals who were trusting and unconcerned expressed low levels (z < −0.40) of these beliefs. Increasing levels of mistrust and medication concerns were correlated with higher depression scores on the CES‐D, with values ranging from r = 0.23 to r = 0.38. Conclusions: Subgroups of pain medication beliefs were identified, including two groups of patients with at least some concerns about their medical providers. Beliefs ranged from a lack of concern about using pain medications to worries about scrutiny and harm. It is unclear if poor experiences with pain medications cause these beliefs or if they prevent individuals from effectively utilizing medications. Additionally, more negative beliefs about pain medications were associated with more depressive symptoms. Plain Language Summary: Studies have shown that while most people with headaches use medicines to treat their attacks, they are not always happy with these medicines, and they often do not fill their prescriptions. To better understand why this may be, we looked at beliefs about medication in 215 individuals who have headaches and experience using pain medicines. We found that some individuals reported little concern about their medications, while others reported high levels of worry about side effects or becoming dependent on them.
- Subjects
PATIENT compliance; HEALTH attitudes; CHRONIC pain; THERAPEUTICS; SECONDARY analysis; RESEARCH funding; CENTER for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; SATISFACTION; HEADACHE; QUESTIONNAIRES; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; ANALGESICS; ATTITUDE (Psychology); DATA analysis software; DRUGS
- Publication
Headache: The Journal of Head & Face Pain, 2024, Vol 64, Issue 4, p390
- ISSN
0017-8748
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/head.14708