Students’ general perception and attitudes about chronic pain and opioid usage at the University of Split School of Medicine

Cilj: Cilj ovog istraživanja bila je procjena uvjerenja i stavova o boli i korištenju opioidnih lijekova studenata studijskih programa Medicine, Dentalne medicine, Farmacije i Medicine na engleskom jeziku Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Splitu. Materijali i metode: U ovom radu napravljeno je transverzalno istraživanje, metodom upitnika. Upitnik je bio u potpunosti anoniman i podijeljen je studentima studijskih programa Medicine, Dentalne medicine, Farmacije i Medicine na engleskom jeziku Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Splitu koji su pohađali nastavu kroz travanj i svibanj 2019. godine. Podaci su obrađeni u programima Microsoft Office Excel 2016 i JASP 0.9.2.0. Napravljena je deskriptivna analiza uzoraka, a rezultati su prikazani u postocima za dihotomne varijable, te srednja vrijednost ± standardna devijacija (SD) za kontinuirane varijable. Za svaki ishod izračunati su postotci odgovora. Neparametrijski χ 2 test je korišten za procjenu razlike između skupina i korelaciju između varijabli. Rezultati: U istraživanju je sudjelovalo ukupno 912 studenata Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Splitu. Ukupno se 67,7% studenata slaže s tvrdnjom kako osobe koje boluju od maligne bolesti osjećaju kroničnu bol. Studenti viših godina studija uglavnom ne smatraju kako je bol sastavni dio starenja. Na studiju Medicine se 44,1% ispitanika muškog te 24,2% ženskog spola slaže s tvrdnjom kako ne osjeća anksioznost prilikom sustreta s pacijentom koji boluje od kronične boli. Prosječno se 16,5% studenata triju završnih godina svih studijskih programa slaže s tvrdnjom kako zna izračunati doze najčešće korištenih opioida. 67,1% studenata slaže se s tvdnjom ''Oslanjam se na pacijentovu procjenu intenziteta boli'', a 79,1% studenata smatra kako je teško pronaći odgovarajuću metodu za umanjivanje kronične boli. Zaključak: Studenti na višim godinama studijskih programa očekivano pokazuju višu razinu znanja o kroničnoj boli, njenom liječenju te veću razinu empatije, suosjećanja i anksioznosti prilikom susretanja s pacijentima koji boluju od kronične boli. U visokom postotku studenti završne tri godine svih studijskih programa navode kako ne znaju odgovarajuće doze najčešće korištenih opioida. Studenti navode kako se oslanjaju na pacijentovu procjenu intenziteta boli, izražavaju strah od razvoja ovisnosti prilikom propisivanja opioidnih lijekova pacijentima koji boluju od kronične boli te smatraju kako je teško pronaći odgovarajuću metodu za umanjivanje kronične boli.Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess general perception and attitudes of medical students in Croatian and English programme, students of dental medicine and pharmacy at the University of Split School of Medicine toward the chronic pain and opioid usage; to compare general perception and attitudes of the students at the particular study from the first to the last year, and the other studies. Materials and methods: In this study it was conducted survey of assesment of students' general perception and attitudes about chronic pain and opioid usage. Survey was conducted using the questionnaire. The questionnaire was fully anonymous and distributed to all students who attended classes from the April to the May 2019. The total number of the students who participated in the research was 912. In the first part of the questionnaire students were asked for general information. In second part they answered about their general perception and attitudes about chronic pain and opioid usage. Results: The study involved 912 students of University of Split School of Medicine. A total of 67.7% of students agreed with the statement that people suffering from malignant disease feel chronic pain. 44.1% of male and 24.2% of female students at the study programme Medicine agreed with the statement that they do not feel anxiety when seeing a chronic pain patient. On average, 16.5% of students in the three final years of all study programs agree with the statement that they cannot calculate adequate opioid doses. 67.1% of students agreed with statement ''I rely on patient's pain evaluation'' and 79.1% of students agreed with the statement that is difficult to find appropriate method to reduce chronic pain. Conclusion: Final years students, as expected, showed a higher level of knowledge about chronic pain, chronic pain treatment and a higher level of empathy, compassion and anxiety when seeing patients suffering from chronic pain. In high percentages, students of the three final study years of all study programs state that they do not know the adequate doses of the most commonly used opioids. Students agreed with the statement that they rely on patient's assessment of the pain intensity, express fear of possible addiction when prescribing opioid drugs to patients suffering from chronic pain and find it difficult to reach adequate method for reducing chronic pain