Table 1.

Interview participant characteristics, N = 18

CharacteristicsInterviewed service users n(%)a
Female12 (66.7)
Mean age, years (SD)52.8 (9.8)
Employment status
  Unemployed/retired15 (83.3)
  Employed3 (16.7)
Living with anyone
  Yes12 (66.7)
  No6 (33.3)
GP practice
  Practice 19 (50.0)
  Practice 29 (50.0)
Mental health issues (diagnosed or undiagnosed)
  Yes11 (61.1)
    Depression10 (—)
    Anxiety2 (—)
    Bipolar tendencies1 (—)
  No7 (38.9)
Previous attendance at pain clinic
  Yes15 (83.3)
  No3 (16.7)
Description of painb
  Arthritis/osteoarthritis9 (50.0)
  Generalised and localised joint and muscular pain9 (50.0)
  Crohn’s disease1 (5.6)
Opioid drugb
  Buprenorphine4 (22.2)
  Codeine family11 (61.1)
  Morphine9 (50.0)
  Oxycodone family7 (38.9)
  Tramadol4 (22.2)
Baseline medication (excluding opioids)b
  Benzodiazepines5 (27.8)
  SSRI antidepressants1 (5.6)
  Other antidepressants1 (5.6)
  Amitriptyline3 (16.7)
  Gabapentin3 (16.7)
  Pregabalin1 (5.6)
  Other18 (100.0)

  • ↵a Unless described otherwise.

  • ↵b Patients taking more than one class of opioid or baseline medication contribute a count to each class of drug they take, therefore percentages do not add up to 100%. SD = standard deviation. SSRI = selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.