• Treah Haggerty, Cara L Sedney, Patricia Dekeseredy, Divine Nwafor, Henry H Brownstein, Martina A Caretta, and Robin A Pollini.
• From Department of Family Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV (TH); Department of Neurosurgery, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV (CLS, PD); Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown WV (DN); Sociology and Anthropology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV (HHB); Human Geography Department, Lund University, Sweden (MAC); Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV (RAP). haggertyt@hsc.wvu.edu.
• J Am Board Fam Med. 2022 Oct 18; 35 (5): 940950940-950.

PurposeOpioid use disorder has caused significant morbidity and mortality resulting in opioid prescribing limiting laws, such as State Bill 273 in West Virginia. The purpose of this study is to explore the impacts of a restrictive opioid prescription law on physicians in medical practice in West Virginia.MethodsA qualitative study with open-ended semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of physicians in West Virginia. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. A preliminary code book was developed by 3 coinvestigators. Interview transcriptions were analyzed with a code-based text search query. Content analysis was utilized as the methodological orientation underpinning for the current work.ResultsInterviews were conducted with 20 physicians (10 primary care physicians and 10 specialty physicians) in practice in West Virginia. Physicians identified 5 theoretical domains related to SB273: changing opioid prescribing and documentation requirements; rural socioeconomic disparities; a continuum between chronic pain and substance use disorder; difficulty in balancing patient needs and the concern for diversion; lack of available alternatives to opioids for chronic.ConclusionPrescribing opioids in rural West Virginia is complex due to identified challenges. Recommendations for opioids prescribing legislation include clear messaging of guidelines and recommendations, efforts to address socioeconomic disparities of health and pain, and improved accessibility for treatment of both pain and dependence in rural communities are important areas of growth in the rural health care environment.© Copyright by the American Board of Family Medicine.

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