Johnson Lin1, Ruey-Kuen Hsieh1, Jen-Shi Chen2,3, Kuan-Der Lee4, Kun-Ming Rau3,5, Yu-Yun Shao6, Yung-Chuan Sung7,8, Su-Peng Yeh9, Cheng-Shyong Chang10, Ta-Chih Liu11,12, Ming-Fang Wu13,14, Ming-Yang Lee15, Ming-Sun Yu16, Chia-Jui Yen17, Pang-Yu Lai18, Wen-Li Hwang19, Tzeon-Jye Chiou20,21. 1. Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan. 2. Department of Internal Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan City, Taiwan. 3. College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan. 4. Department of Hematology and Oncology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan. 5. Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. 6. Department of Oncology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan. 7. Department of Internal Medicine, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan. 8. College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan. 9. Department of Internal Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan. 10. Department of Internal Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua City, Taiwan. 11. College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. 12. Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. 13. School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan. 14. Divisions of Medical Oncology and Chest Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan. 15. Department of Internal Medicine, Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi City, Taiwan. 16. Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. 17. Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan City, Taiwan. 18. Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. 19. Department of Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan. 20. Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan. 21. School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei City, Taiwan.
Abstract
AIM: To evaluate the prevalence of pain in cancer outpatients in Taiwan and to investigate the impact of pain on quality of life (QoL) and patient satisfaction. Results were compared to those of a similarly designed study conducted in 2008 to identify trends. METHODS: Adult patients with cancer treated as outpatients in hospitals throughout Taiwan were recruited. Pain intensity and the extent to which pain interfered with QoL were self-reported using a modified version of the Brief Pain Inventory. Patients also indicated their level of satisfaction with their physician, as well as with their pain control. RESULTS: A total of 2652 patients were enrolled from 16 sites. Of these, 1167 (44.0%) patients reported experiencing pain during the previous week. Prevalence and severity of pain were highest in patients with progressive disease. A higher pain severity score was significantly associated with greater interference in both physical and psychological functions. Overall, 86.0% of all participants expressed satisfaction with their physician and 84.8% were satisfied with their pain control; satisfaction rates were associated with pain severity. Compared with the findings from the 2008 study, pain prevalence was notably lower and patient satisfaction was significantly greater in the current study. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence and severity of pain were associated with disease stage. Pain interference on QoL correlated significantly with pain severity. Treatment of pain in cancer patients in Taiwan seems to have improved from 2008 to 2014, possibly attributable to new cancer pain treatment guidelines and the wider availability of novel analgesic therapies.
AIM: To evaluate the prevalence of pain in cancer outpatients in Taiwan and to investigate the impact of pain on quality of life (QoL) and patient satisfaction. Results were compared to those of a similarly designed study conducted in 2008 to identify trends. METHODS: Adult patients with cancer treated as outpatients in hospitals throughout Taiwan were recruited. Pain intensity and the extent to which pain interfered with QoL were self-reported using a modified version of the Brief Pain Inventory. Patients also indicated their level of satisfaction with their physician, as well as with their pain control. RESULTS: A total of 2652 patients were enrolled from 16 sites. Of these, 1167 (44.0%) patients reported experiencing pain during the previous week. Prevalence and severity of pain were highest in patients with progressive disease. A higher pain severity score was significantly associated with greater interference in both physical and psychological functions. Overall, 86.0% of all participants expressed satisfaction with their physician and 84.8% were satisfied with their pain control; satisfaction rates were associated with pain severity. Compared with the findings from the 2008 study, pain prevalence was notably lower and patient satisfaction was significantly greater in the current study. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence and severity of pain were associated with disease stage. Pain interference on QoL correlated significantly with pain severity. Treatment of pain in cancerpatients in Taiwan seems to have improved from 2008 to 2014, possibly attributable to new cancer pain treatment guidelines and the wider availability of novel analgesic therapies.
Authors: Cristiane Aparecida Gomes-Ferraz; Gabriela Rezende; Amanda Antunes Fagundes; Marysia Mara Rodrigues do Prado De Carlo Journal: Palliat Care Soc Pract Date: 2022-09-22