title: [Attitudes of Hungarian adults toward use of opioids in pain management].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Though the most effective pain medication is already available in Western countries, cancer pain is often undertreated. The primary causes of this phenomenon are the fears of opioids, which haven't been explored systematically in Hungary.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Exploration of the attitudes toward opioids among healthy Hungarian adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants (88/143 male/female, 29.47 ± 11.05 years) were asked to complete story of a patient who was suggested to accept opioid therapy. The stories were rated by independent raters on Likert-scales to access the strength of attitudes toward pain medication [1].
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only an average 29.6% of the stories expressed positive attitudes, but varied fears (of addiction: 20.9%, nearing death: 10.5%, the inattention of the doctor: 4.7%), and hopes connected to alternative therapies (4.7%) emerged, too.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The compliance of the patient and his/her family members is a very important factor of effective medical treatment, therefore individual attitudes must be considered.
authors.affiliation: ELTE Pszichológiai Intézet Affektív Pszichológia Tanszék Budapest Izabella u. 46. 1064 Magyar Hospice Alapítvány Budapest. eszter.biro@hospicehaz.hu
authors.forename: Eszter
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Biró
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid