Opioid Prescribing Behavior in Emergency Settings and Associated Risk Factors in the Central Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Open Access Original Article

Sep 28, 2026

Pain management is a key concern in emergency medicine, where opioids remain widely prescribed despite risks such as misuse and dependence. The study evaluates factors influencing opioid prescribing decisions among emergency physicians in Saudi Arabia and examines attitudes shaping prescribing practices. A cross-sectional survey of 213 emergency physicians (Feb 2024–Feb 2025) used a 22-item Likert questionnaire and regression analyses to identify clinical, external, and psychosocial predictors.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

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Pages18

Reading Time45 min

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Abstract

Background

Methods

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How to cite this article

Review began 10/18/2025 Review ended 11/25/2025 Published 12/02/2025 © Copyright 2025 Ateyyah et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CCBY 4.0. , which permits unrestricted use , distribution , and reproduction in any medium , provided the original author and source are credited. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.98317 Open Access Original Article Opioid Prescribing Behavior in Emergency Settings and Associated Risk Factors in the Central Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Khalid A. Ateyyah 1 , Ahmed H. Almutairi 2, Rammaz H. Khoja 3, Rahaf H. Khoja 3, Abdullah A. Najjar 4 , Releman H. Alsharif 3, Yazeed M. Asiri 5, Ali A. Al Sarrar 6 1. Medicine/Emergency Medicine, Taibah University, Madinah, SAU 2. Emergency Medicine, Majmaah University, Al Majma 'ah, SAU 3. Medicine, Taibah University, Madinah, SAU 4. Emergency Medicine, King Fahad Hospital, Madinah, SAU 5. Emergency Medicine, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Jeddah, SAU 6. Medicine, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Madinah, SAU Corresponding author: Khalid A. Ateyyah, [kateyyah@taibahu.edu.sa](kateyyah@taibahu.edu.sa) Abstract Background: Pain management is an important issue in emergency medicine. Although opioids have many associated adverse effects, including opioid misuse and dependence, they are still frequently prescribed nowadays. Subsequently, it is vital to understand the factors influencing opioid prescribing decisions among emergency physicians. This article aims to examine factors affecting opioid prescribing behaviors among emergency physicians in Saudi Arabia and assess attitudes impacting prescribing practices. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in the period from February 2024 to February 2025 among 213 emergency physicians in Saudi Arabia. The clinical, external, and psychosocial factors affecting opioid prescribing decisions were evaluated using a 22-item Likert-scale questionnaire. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable regression analyses were used to explore the relationship of demographic, regional, and professional data with predictors of prescribing behaviors. Results: Our study included 213 emergency physicians, with the majority (62 .4%, n=133) aged between 23 and 30 years. While 72.8%(n=155) of participants were male, female physicians represented 27.2%(n=58) of the sample. The analysis revealed that younger physicians, as well as people with one to two years of experience after post-graduation, had a higher opioid prescribing score (OPS) . Prior analgesic use, pain severity, and physical examination findings were the most common clinical factors. No significant associations were found for age, gender, practice level, or region. Male physicians showed slightly higher OPS than female physicians (B = 2 .53, p = .167, 95%CI-1 .07, 6. 13) . However, the association was not statistically significant. Physicians working more than 16 shifts per month also demonstrated a nonsignificant trend toward higher OPS compared to those with 12 or fewer shifts (B = 4.91, p = .086, 95%CI- 0.71, 10.53) . In contrast, fewer years since graduation significantly predicted higher OPS (β = -7.81, p = 0 .029) in the multivariable regression. Additionally, gender, practice level, or region revealed no significant differences. Conclusion: Emergency physicians with fewer years of experience and younger ages are more willing to prescribe opioids mainly directed by clinical causes in Saudi Arabia. These findings call for more focused educational interventions and standardized guidelines in order to promote safe opioid use and reduce potential overprescribing behavior within society. Categories: Emergency Medicine, Pharmacology, Pain Management Keywords: emergency physicians, healthcare practice, opioid prescribing, pain management, prescribing behavior, saudi arabia Introduction Among all the different presenting complaints, the most common is pain.

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the article?

To examine factors affecting opioid prescribing behaviors among emergency physicians in Saudi Arabia and assess attitudes impacting prescribing practices.

How was the study conducted?

It used a cross-sectional design from February 2024 to February 2025, surveying 213 emergency physicians with a 22-item Likert-scale questionnaire and applying descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable regression analyses.

Which factors were most common clinical influences on opioid prescribing?

Prior analgesic use, pain severity, and physical examination findings were the most common clinical factors reported as influencing prescribing decisions.

Sep 28, 2026

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