%A Leung,Jonathan G.
%A Narayanan,Prasanna P.
%A Markota,Matej
%A Miller,Nathaniel E.
%A Philbrick,Kemuel L.
%A Burton,M. Caroline
%A Kirchoff,Robert W.
%D 2022
%J Frontiers in Psychiatry
%C
%F
%G English
%K alcohol use disorder,Naltrexone,prescribing,substance use disorder,Survey
%Q
%R 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.856938
%W
%L
%M
%P
%7
%8 2022-May-10
%9 Brief Research Report
%#
%! Naltrexone for Alcohol Use Disorder
%*
%<
%T Assessing Naltrexone Prescribing and Barriers to Initiation for Alcohol Use Disorder: A Multidisciplinary, Multisite Survey
%U https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.856938
%V 13
%0 JOURNAL ARTICLE
%@ 1664-0640
%X ObjectiveTo survey barriers in prescribing naltrexone for alcohol use disorder.MethodsA 12-question survey related to naltrexone prescribing patterns, perceptions, and knowledge was sent to 770 prescribers in the departments of internal medicine, family medicine, and psychiatry across a health system with sites in Arizona, Florida, and Minnesota.ResultsResponses were obtained and included for 146/770 prescribers (19.0% response rate). Most respondents were in the department of internal medicine (n = 94, 64.4%), but the departments of psychiatry (n = 22, 15.1%) and family medicine (n = 30, 20.5%) were also represented. Only 34 (23.3%) respondents indicated they had prescribed naltrexone in the previous 3 months. The most common reasons for not prescribing naltrexone were “unfamiliarity with naltrexone for treatment of alcohol use disorder” and “patients do not have appropriate follow-up or are not in a formal treatment program.” Compared with those representing internal/family medicine, psychiatry respondents were more likely to prescribe naltrexone and answer knowledge questions correctly.ConclusionIn this survey among primarily non-addiction-trained prescribers, a disparity was shown for prescribing naltrexone and in knowledge barriers between staff in internal/family medicine and psychiatry. There exist opportunities for education and quality improvement that promote the prescribing of naltrexone for alcohol use disorder by non-addiction specialists.