Table 1.
Demographics and practice characteristics of respondents.
| Response | 2018 | 2010 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n (%) | Total Responses, n | % | Total Responses, n | |
| Sex | 185 | 622 | ||
| Male | 103 (55) | 59 | ||
| Female | 81 (44) | 41 | ||
| Prefer not to answer | 1 (1) | NA | ||
| Have advanced training in pain management | 185 | 627 | ||
| 29 (16) | 15 | |||
| Years in practice | 185 | 621 | ||
| 1–5 | 31 (17) | 17 | ||
| 6–10 | 18 (10) | 9 | ||
| 11–20 | 41 (22) | 18 | ||
| 21–30 | 49 (26) | 31 | ||
| >30 | 46 (25) | 26 | ||
| Population of practice community | 185 | 622 | ||
| <5000 | 30 (16) | 13 | ||
| 5000–25,000 | 43 (23) | 22 | ||
| >25,000–100,000 | 23 (12) | 14 | ||
| >100,000–500,000 | 62 (34) | 26 | ||
| >500,000 | 27 (15) † | 26 | ||
| Patients seen per month | 185 | 592 | ||
| <200 | 53 (29) | 23 | ||
| 200–400 | 67 (36) | 33 | ||
| >400–600 | 41 (22) | 29 | ||
| >600–800 | 18 (10) | 9 | ||
| >800 | 6 (3) | 6 | ||
| Prescriptions for weak opioid written per month | 168 | 578 | ||
| 1–5 | 90 (54) | 31 | ||
| 6–10 | 43 (26) | 31 | ||
| 11–20 | 19 (11) | 22 | ||
| >20 | 16 (10) | 16 | ||
| Prescriptions for strong opioid written per month | 166 | 548 | ||
| 1–5 | 90 (54) | 46 | ||
| 6–10 | 46 (28) | 28 | ||
| 11–20 | 16 (10) | 14 | ||
| >20 | 14 (8) | 12 | ||
| Confidence prescribing opioids for chronic noncancer pain | 265 | 704 | ||
| 1 Not very confident | 8 (3) | 3 | ||
| 2 | 28 (11) | 8 | ||
| 3 | 76 (29) | 31 | ||
| 4 | 111 (42) | 43 | ||
| 5 Very confident | 42 (16) | 15 | ||
| Wait time for nonurgent referral to pain specialist, months | 185 | 609 | ||
| <1 | 4 (2) | 3 | ||
| 1–6 | 40 (22) | 23 | ||
| >6–12 | 45 (24) | 28 | ||
| >12 | 44 (24) | 39 † | ||
| Don’t know | 10 (5) | 7 | ||
| I don’t have this available | 42 (23) | NA | ||
| Wait time for second opinion regarding 90 mg morphine equivalent daily | 185 | NA | ||
| <1 | 40 (22) | NA | ||
| 1–6 | 32 (17) | NA | ||
| >6–12 | 19 (10) | NA | ||
| >12 | 14 (8) | NA | ||
| Don’t know | 38 (21) | NA | ||
| I don’t have this available | 42 (23) | NA | ||
| Wait time for nonurgent referral to addiction specialist, months | 185 | 623 | ||
| <1 | 25 (14) | 7 | ||
| 1–6 | 55 (30) | 26 | ||
| >6–12 | 18 (10) | 21 † | ||
| >12 | 26 (14) | 18 | ||
| Don’t know | 34 (18) | 28 † | ||
| I don’t have this available | 27 (15) | NA | ||
NA: not applicable, this was a new question included only in the 2018 survey. † Difference is 10% or larger.