Table 1.

Demographic Characteristics of Survey Respondents and Self-Reported Frequency of Opioid* Prescribing

Japanese Respondents (n = 435)†US Respondents (n = 198)P Value‡
Sex<.001
    Female70 (16.4)96 (49.0)
    Male358 (83.6)100 (51.0)
Age (years)<.001
    <40184 (43.0)57 (28.9)
    41–50132 (30.8)64 (32.5)
    51–6095 (22.2)54 (27.4)
    >6017 (1.0)22 (11.2)
Use opioids to control acute pain§ or chronic pain‖<.001
    Never/seldom105 (24.1)2 (1.0)
    Occasionally to all the time330 (75.9)196 (99.0)
Use opioids to control acute pain<0.001
    Never/seldom220 (50.6)6 (3.0)
    Occasionally to all the time215 (49.4)192 (97.0)
Use opioids to control chronic pain<.001
    Never/seldom158 (36.3)18 (9.1)
    Occasionally to all the time277 (63.7)180 (90.9)
Frequency of opioid use in own country**<.001
    Seldom/just right396 (93.4)9 (4.6)
    Too often28 (6.6)187 (95.4)
Opioids are indicated for chronic pain††317 (73.9)115 (58.7)<.001‡‡

  • Data are n (%). Totals may vary because some respondents did not complete all parts of the questionnaires.

  • ↵* Opioids include tramadol, codeine, buprenorphine, pentazocine, morphine, fentanyl, methadone, and hydromorphone.

  • ↵† A total of 461 responses were received, but 26 respondents (5.4%) had no opioid prescribing license, leaving 435 prescribers to analyze.

  • ↵‡ P values from a χ2 test unless otherwise specified.

  • ↵§ Acute pain includes acute nonobstructing kidney stones and sprain or strain of any joint.

  • ↵‖ Chronic pain includes chronic nonspecific back pain, osteoarthritis of any joint, fibromyalgia, or other, similar conditions.

  • ↵ P value from Fisher exact test because of the small cell size.

  • ↵** Personal belief that opioids are used too seldom/used just right versus opioids are used too often.

  • ↵†† Very strongly/strongly/mildly agree versus neutral/disagree/strongly disagree.

  • ↵‡‡ P values for adjusted odds ratios.