Perceptions on opioid prescribing after total joint arthroplasty among surgeons practising in Canada, Japan, and the Netherlands: an interpretive description study

Total hip and knee replacement surgeries are the second and third most common surgical procedures in Canada, respectively. Opioid analgesics are routinely prescribed to manage pain after these procedures, making orthopaedic surgeons the third-highest opioid prescribers in Canada. However, opioids are not typically more effective than alternatives (e.g., NSAIDs) and are associated with addiction, overdose, and death. Compared with Canada, Japan’s opioid use is sparse. Likewise, opioid misuse and opioid-related death are substantially lower in the Netherlands than in Canada, but greater than in Japan. Accordingly, these three countries represent high (Canada), moderate (Netherlands), and low (Japan) “cases” of opioid prescribing. Using a qualitative research methodology, interpretive description, and semi-structured interviews, this study compares the perceptions of orthopaedic surgeons on postoperative opioid prescribing, and explores facilitators and barriers. The insights obtained from this study may help to identify potential drivers of practise variations, which can be used to inform system-wide initiatives supporting safer opioid prescribing practises.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jason Busse

Student:

Partner:

Deventer Hospital

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

McMaster University

Program: