{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,26]],"date-time":"2026-06-26T15:50:36Z","timestamp":1782489036499,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,18]],"date-time":"2026-06-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1781740800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":17,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,1]],"date-time":"2026-06-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1780272000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Musculoskeletal Care"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,6]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Purpose<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Long\u2010term opioid use is associated at the population level with increased risks such as physical dependence, adverse effects and complex healthcare trajectories. While some patients report improved function and quality of life with carefully monitored opioid therapy, others experience diminishing benefits over time and substantial harms. While tapering is clinically recommended, little is known about patients' perspectives on barriers and opportunities for initiating earlier opioid tapering. This study explores how patients experience and reflect on these issues throughout their patient journey.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We conducted semi\u2010structured interviews with 10 patients who had completed opioid tapering at a Danish multidisciplinary pain clinic. Patient journey mapping was used to visualise and structure individual treatment journeys. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and supported by NVivo software.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Two overarching themes emerged: (1)\n                      <jats:italic>living between fear of pain and dependence on opioids<\/jats:italic>\n                      included emotional ambivalence, fear of pain recurrence, and insufficient guidance from healthcare providers; (2)\n                      <jats:italic>Tapering responsibility falling through the cracks<\/jats:italic>\n                      , illustrated how tapering responsibility often became fragmented across the healthcare system, leaving participants feeling unsupported and uncertain about how to initiate change. Conversely, proactive engagement by healthcare professionals, particularly general practitioners, enabled participants to consider tapering.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study identified personal and systemic barriers to opioid tapering, including fear of pain, emotional dependence, and fragmented care. Participants favoured earlier tapering, but success depended on addressing these factors and enhancing general practitioners' knowledge. Meaningful tapering becomes possible when healthcare professional responsiveness meets individual readiness.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1002\/msc.70240","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,19]],"date-time":"2026-06-19T03:58:48Z","timestamp":1781841528000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Patients With Chronic Pain and Their Perspectives on Barriers and Opportunities for Earlier Opioid Tapering\u2014A Qualitative Study Using Patient Journey Mapping"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"24","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-2724-5606","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mette Dalsg\u00e5rd","family":"Bergmann","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Multidisciplinary Pain Centre, Elective Surgery Centre Silkeborg Regional Hospital  Silkeborg Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-9658-3596","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stine Aalkj\u00e6r","family":"Clausen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Diagnostic Centre University Clinic for Innovative Patient Pathways, Regional Hospital Central Jutland  Silkeborg Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3077-4985","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anne Mette","family":"Schmidt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Danish MS Hospitals  Ry and Haslev Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2113-5599","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Peter","family":"Vedsted","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Diagnostic Centre University Clinic for Innovative Patient Pathways, Regional Hospital Central Jutland  Silkeborg Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Clinical Medicine Aarhus University  Aarhus Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9724-767X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Morten","family":"Hoegh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine Aalborg University  Aalborg Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7930-6894","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Malene Kj\u00e6r","family":"Bruun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for General Practice at Aalborg University  Gistrup Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-0787-4059","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Heidi Guldberg","family":"Bl\u00e6sbjerg","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Regional Clinic Skjern  Skive 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