Limitations of the study included its small size, which might have precluded observation of a fuller range of communication strategies, the investigators noted. In addition, clinical considerations about opioid use such as dosage, type, and treatment duration were not assessed, nor were the preexisting beliefs and knowledge about opioids held by the individual physicians and patients. The study also did not include the physicians’ perspectives on their interactions with patients.
This study was supported by the Veterans Health Administration’s Health Services Research and Development Service and an Indiana Institute for Medical Research Young Investigator Award. Dr. Matthias and her colleagues declared that they had no conflicts of interest.