Narratives Surrounding Prescription Opioids in the NYT: Implications for the Treatment of Chronic Non-Cancer Pain

• In Event: 322 - Section on Medical Sociology Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 05. Pharmaceuticals

Abstract

Narratives about prescription opioid painkillers told in the news have the potential to influence public opinion and policy decisions that affect all parties involved the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain. Predominantly negative stories about the distribution and use of prescription opioids may compound the already-existing stigma and difficulties accessing and providing appropriate pain treatment that are faced by people with chronic non-cancer pain and their doctors. To address this, the current paper reports on a qualitative analysis of widely circulating news stories surrounding prescription opioids published in the New York Times between 2000 and 2013. Two social problems narratives emerge in the data: a story about the prescription drug epidemic and a competing story about the crisis of unrelieved pain. The characteristics of each narrative are analyzed and their implications for chronic pain management are discussed.

Author

• Loren Elizabeth Wilbers, University of South Florida