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Original Article
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Cancer pain management among underserved minority outpatients
Perceived needs and barriers to optimal control
Article first published online: 15 APR 2002
DOI: 10.1002/cncr.10414
Copyright © 2002 American Cancer Society
Additional Information
How to Cite
Anderson, K. O., Richman, S. P., Hurley, J., Palos, G., Valero, V., Mendoza, T. R., Gning, I. and Cleeland, C. S. (2002), Cancer pain management among underserved minority outpatients. Cancer, 94: 2295–2304. doi: 10.1002/cncr.10414
Publication History
- Issue published online: 15 APR 2002
- Article first published online: 15 APR 2002
- Manuscript Accepted: 9 NOV 2001
- Manuscript Revised: 30 OCT 2001
- Manuscript Received: 7 SEP 2001
Funded by
- U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command. Grant Number: DAMD17-94-J-4233
- Public Health Service grant. Grant Number: CA64766
- National Cancer Institute, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD. Grant Number: CA64766
- Abstract
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- Cited By
Keywords:
- cancer pain;
- pain management;
- minority;
- Hispanic;
- African American;
- barriers;
- communication
Socioeconomically disadvantaged African-American and Hispanic patients with cancer who had disease-related pain reported multiple barriers to optimal pain management. Concerns about opioid medications and difficulty communicating with health care providers were frequent impediments.
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Minority patients with cancer are at risk for undertreatment of cancer-related pain. Most studies of patient-related barriers to pain control have surveyed primarily non-Hispanic Caucasian patients. The purpose of the current study was to explore barriers to optimal pain management among African-American and Hispanic patients with cancer through the use of structured patient interviews. Structured interviews allowed the authors to probe for previously unidentified barriers to pain management in these populations.
METHODS
Thirty-one socioeconomically disadvantaged minority patients with cancer (14 African-American patients and 17 Hispanic patients) who had cancer-related pain completed structured interviews that assessed three main content areas: information and communication regarding cancer pain, treatment of cancer pain, and the meaning of cancer pain.
RESULTS
The African-American and Hispanic patients reported severe pain and many concerns about pain management. The majority of patients in both ethnic groups expressed a belief in stoicism and concerns about possible addiction to opioid medications and the development of tolerance. The patients described their physicians as the most frequent and trusted source of information about cancer pain. However, patients also reported difficulties with communication and a reluctance to complain of pain.
CONCLUSIONS
The reported barriers to pain management indicate that socioeconomically disadvantaged African-American and Hispanic patients can benefit from educational interventions on cancer pain that dispel myths about opioids and teach patients to communicate assertively about their pain with their physicians and nurses. Cancer 2002;94:2295–304. © 2002 American Cancer Society.
DOI 10.1002/cncr.10414