Opioids and Chronic Pain: Navigating Treatment, Policy, and Patient Outcomes in Global Healthcare Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Chronic pain affects millions worldwide, and healthcare systems vary in how they manage opioid use, access to pain treatment, and regulatory frameworks. While some countries predominately prescribe opioids for pain relief, others have stricter regulations, favoring non-opioid and integrative approaches. The intersection of opioid use, healthcare policy, and patient-centered chronic pain management requires a nuanced understanding of treatment outcomes, disparities, and emerging alternatives across diverse healthcare settings.

This Special Issue welcomes research that explores the complexities of opioid use in chronic pain management across different countries and healthcare systems, focusing on the following topics:

• Clinical Practices and Patient Outcomes
  • Long-term effects of opioid therapy on pain, function, and quality of life.
  • The comparative effectiveness of opioid vs. non-opioid treatments for chronic pain.
  • The impact of opioid tapering and discontinuation on patient well-being.
  • Patient experiences and perspectives on opioid therapy and alternatives.
• Healthcare Systems and Policy Implications
  • How different countries regulate opioid prescribing and pain management.
  • International comparisons of opioid use trends and public health outcomes.
  • Disparities in access to pain management and opioid prescribing practices globally.
  • The role of insurance policies and universal healthcare models in opioid prescribing and alternative treatments.
  • The unintended consequences of opioid policy shifts (e.g., illicit drug use, suicide risk) across different regions.
• Innovations and Future Directions
  • Advances in risk assessment and opioid stewardship programs in global healthcare systems.
  • Multimodal and integrative approaches to chronic pain treatment across cultures.
  • Digital health interventions for pain management and opioid monitoring in international settings.
  • The impact of public health litigation and opioid settlements on patient care worldwide.

We seek original research, systematic reviews, qualitative studies, policy analyses, and clinical perspectives that advance our understanding and improve care for patients with chronic pain amidst the evolving opioid landscape. We particularly encourage the submission of papers that provide comparative perspectives across different countries and healthcare systems.

Dr. Christopher Keith Haddock
Dr. Luther C. Elliott
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• opioid therapy
• chronic pain management
• opioid regulation
• non-opioid treatments
• pharmaceutical detailing
• patient rights
• drug monitoring
• opioid use disorders
• latrogenic dependency
• international comparisons
• health policy
• prescription practices