| Title: |
“The Whole Structure Is Knackered, It Could Still Explode, It Really Could”: A Mixed Methods Study of Initiatives to Increase General Practitioner Prescribing in an Opioid Dependence Treatment Program from 1970 to 2022 in New South Wales, Australia |
| Authors: |
Wilson, Hester; Harris-Roxas, Ben; Lintzeris, Nicholas; Harris, Mark |
| Source: |
urn:ISSN:0091-4509 ; urn:ISSN:2163-1808 ; Contemporary Drug Problems, 52, 2, 00914509241309109-00914509241309109 |
| Publisher Information: |
SAGE Publications |
| Publication Year: |
2025 |
| Collection: |
UNSW Sydney (The University of New South Wales): UNSWorks |
| Subject Terms: |
4203 Health Services and Systems; 32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; 42 Health Sciences; 44 Human Society; Opioid Misuse and Addiction; Opioids; Substance Misuse; Brain Disorders; 8.1 Organisation and delivery of services; Generic health relevance; 3 Good Health and Well Being; anzsrc-for: 4203 Health Services and Systems; anzsrc-for: 32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; anzsrc-for: 42 Health Sciences; anzsrc-for: 44 Human Society; anzsrc-for: 11 Medical and Health Sciences; anzsrc-for: 16 Studies in Human Society |
| Description: |
Opioid dependence is a chronic health condition with significant public health implications. Opioid dependence treatment (ODT) has evolved considerably over time. In New South Wales, Australia, ODT prescribing has been available since 1970, managed by both state health services and private practitioners, mostly general practitioners (GPs). This study investigated how various health initiatives influenced GP engagement in ODT prescribing in New South Wales. The research employed a mixed-methods approach, combining document review, key informant interviews, and quantitative prescriber data analysis. Findings revealed a substantial increase in GPs prescribing ODT since the 1970s, with GPs providing care for half of the ODT-treated population by 2022. However, only a small percentage of GPs offered ODT, resulting in limited access and unmet treatment needs. The ODT structure remained vulnerable to potential disruptions in prescriber availability. These results highlight the complex interplay between policy initiatives and clinical practice in addressing opioid dependence. The study underscores the need for long-term, diverse strategies to improve ODT access and support GP involvement in providing comprehensive care for individuals with opioid dependence. |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| File Description: |
application/pdf |
| Language: |
unknown |
| Relation: |
https://hdl.handle.net/1959.4/103811; https://doi.org/10.1177/00914509241309109 |
| DOI: |
10.1177/00914509241309109 |
| Availability: |
https://hdl.handle.net/1959.4/103811; https://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/bitstreams/37b0a33c-87f7-40ae-b25c-7eab6371a325/download; https://doi.org/10.1177/00914509241309109 |
| Rights: |
open access ; https://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 ; CC-BY-ND ; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/ ; free_to_read |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.F089BF22 |
| Database: |
BASE |