{
  "abstract": "Background/Objectives: Chronic pain is common in Saudi Arabia, where opioid analgesics are prescribed and dispensed within a tightly regulated, electronically monitored controlled-substance framework. Qualitative evidence on how patients experience restrictive access comes almost entirely from high-consumption countries; to our knowledge, no study has examined these experiences among Saudi adults with chronic non-cancer pain or linked them to how patients appraise non-opioid alternatives. This study explored opioid access, stigma and therapeutic trust among adults with chronic non-cancer pain in Al-Ahsa and examined the anticipated acceptability of non-opioid drug-delivery systems. Methods: A qualitative interview study was conducted across seven public and private health settings in Al-Ahsa (May-June 2026). Thirty adults with chronic non-cancer pain were purposively sampled for maximum variation; 12 clinicians were also interviewed to contextualise the service conditions patients described, with patient accounts remaining the analytic focus. Sample adequacy was judged using information power, i.e., the capacity of a specific sample and focused dialogue to address a narrow aim. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and reported according to COREQ. Results: Four themes were constructed: navigating a restricted access pathway (\"A door with many locks\"); enacted and anticipated stigma (\"As if I came to steal\"); institutional distrust alongside trust in individual clinicians (\"The person, not the system\"); and conditional, anticipated acceptability of topical and transdermal non-opioid formats (\"Something I can put on my skin\"). Conclusions: Participants described restrictive opioid pathways in terms of access burden, stigma and disrupted trust. Their stated openness to non-opioid formats was hypothetical and conditional on affordability, reliable supply, credible efficacy, devotional compatibility and endorsement by a trusted clinician. Less stigmatising dispensing, explained dose reduction and a nurse-led continuity role are proposed as strategies requiring prospective evaluation.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Clinical Pharmacy, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 36362, Saudi Arabia.",
    "Gerontological Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt.",
    "Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Rashed M Almuqbil",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5433-2532"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Mostafa Shaban",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-7822-1653"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Sayed Ibrahim Ali"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3v76y8vwh8w5k.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/healthcare14203379",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13704753",
  "id": "3v76y8vwh8w5k",
  "issns": [
    "2227-9032"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42940424",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2739|Opioid Use Disorder Treatment"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7221307634",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13704753?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13704753",
  "pmid": "42940424",
  "published": "2026-10-10",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3v76y8vwh8w5k.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:22:24Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42940424",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42940424"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2739|Opioid Use Disorder Treatment",
      "subfield": "epidemiology-public-health"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Patient Experiences of Access, Stigma, and Trust and Preferences for Non-Opioid Drug Delivery Systems in Chronic Pain Management.",
  "title_text": "Patient Experiences of Access, Stigma, and Trust and Preferences for Non-Opioid Drug Delivery Systems in Chronic Pain Management.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:22:24Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3v76y8vwh8w5k",
  "venue": "Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)",
  "versions": []
}