A Mixed-Methods Approach to Developing a Short-Form Opioid Abuse Screening Tool

Opiate abuse is an increasingly prevalent issue in the United States. The continued reliance on opioid based medications to treat cancer-related pain is disconcerting as many patients may have an undisclosed history of substance abuse that may predispose them to aberrant opioid related behaviors or opioid addiction. Screening patients prior to the initiation of treatment presents an opportunity to decrease the risk that patients will exhibit adverse opioid related behaviors. The SOAPP-R was developed to screen patients for opioid abuse prior to the initiation of chronic, non-cancer pain management. This study utilized SOAPP-R scores obtained from patients in the Palliative Care Service Clinic at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center of Thomas Jefferson University. We focused on examining the effectiveness of the SOAPP-R in cancer patients and performed a psychometric analysis, coupled with a qualitative assessment of perceptions held by members of the healthcare team, to develop a short form screening tool. The analysis resulted in a short form tool with 8 items out of a possible 24. Cronbach’s alpha of the original scale (SOAPP-R) in the study population was .778 and for the short form was .641 . This tool may be able to decrease administration time in clinics while continuing to provide valuable information to the healthcare team. Presentation: 21:1