Knowledge of opioid-induced respiratory depression among Chinese health care professionals: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to measure knowledge about opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD) among Chinese health care professionals and explore the associated factors that influence Chinese health care professionals’ knowledge. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. A convenience sample of 900 Chinese health care professionals from 21 provinces, four municipalities, and four autonomous regions was used. The OIRD knowledge questionnaire, which is a self-designed questionnaire based on evidence, was used to judge the degree of knowledge among Chinese health care professionals according to the accuracy rate. The questionnaire included questions on six dimensions of knowledge. Sociodemographic characteristics were also measured by a multi-item questionnaire. RESULTS: The overall accuracy rate on the OIRD knowledge questionnaire for all participants were 64.5% ±10.0% (mean ± SD) with a range from 20% to 100%. According to univariate analysis, Chinese health care professionals’ OIRD knowledge was positively correlated with age, region, profession, hospital level, type of hospitals and departments, education level, years of clinical working, and clinical practice of chronic cancer pain (CP) management. Multiple linear regression analysis showed differences in professions and regions (all P ​< ​0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Most Chinese health care professionals had misconceptions about OIRD and lacked relevant knowledge. We should assign importance to developing targeted training programs and exploring feasible and effective training methods.