Only 42 percent of physicians believe that patient opioid and substance misuse increased, while 54 percent believe that it stayed the same.
A majority of physicians (61 percent) rank substance and opioid misuse as a somewhat or very significant issue among colleagues.
Additionally, 29 percent of physicians rank substance and opioid misuse as a top social issue.
Physicians in the West North Central region — which comprises North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri — are most likely (37 percent) to consider substance and opioid misuse as a top issue.
