Prevalence of pain in hospitalised cancer patients in Norway: a national survey

Abstract

Purpose: Pain severely impairs health-related quality of life and is a feared symptom among cancer patients. Unfortunately, patients often do not receive optimal care. We wanted to evaluate the quality of cancer pain treatment in Norwegian hospitals. Patients and methods: A one-day prevalence study targeting hospitalised cancer patients above 18 years of age was performed. A questionnaire based on the Brief Pain Inventory was used, and additional information regarding sex, age, diagnosis, break through pain (BTP), and treatment was included. Results: Fifty two percent of the included patients stated having cancer related pain (n0/453), and mean pain during the previous 24 hours for these patients was NRS 3.99 (Numeric Rating scale 1 Á10). Presence of metastasis, occurrence of BTP, and abnormal skin sensibility in the area of pain were associated with higher pain scores. Forty two percent of all patients used opioids. However, these patients still had higher pain scores, more episodes of BTP, and more influence of the pain on daily life functions than average. Thirty percent of patients with severe pain (NRS]/5) did not use opioids, and some of these patients did not receive any analgesics at all. Conclusion: Although most cancer patients receive an acceptable pain treatment in Norwegian hospitals, there are patients who are not adequately managed. Lack of basic knowledge and individual systematic symptom assessment may be reasons for the underuse of analgesics and the resulting unnecessary suffering among the cancer patients. Palliative Medicine 2007; 21: 7 Á13

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“…Cancer pain considerably restricts patients" daily living activities (15,17,24). Therefore, it is a natural consequence that patients state that activites such as moving, eating and drinking increase the pain that patients experience.…”

“…concentrate and an increased level of fatigue and anxiety resulting in a decline in quality of life (13,14,15). Alongside this, cancer pain has undesirable effects on the families of patients.…”

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“…In a category of patients, also, cancer disease may have been successfully cured, but the chronic pain disease may still persist. Even in countries with advanced health care systems, the current prevalence of persisting pain in cancer patients remains overall high (52%) (2). The prevalence of pain in patients with advanced disease, such as in patients with metastases to the bones, has been even higher, reaching 61%.…”