Reporting characteristics of cancer pain: A systematic review and quantitative analysis of research publications in palliative care journals

Abstract

Objective:A common disorder requiring symptom palliation in palliative and end-of-life care is cancer. Cancer pain is recognized as a global health burden. This paper sought to systematically examine the extent to which there is an adequate scientific research base on cancer pain and its reporting characteristics in the palliative care journal literature.Materials and Methods:Search conducted in MEDLINE and CINAHL sought to locate all studies published in 19 palliative/ hospice/ supportive/ end-of-life care journals from 2009 to 2010. The journals included were: American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care, BMC Palliative Care, Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care, End of Life Care Journal, European Journal of Palliative Care, Hospice Management Advisor, Indian Journal of Palliative Care, International Journal of Palliative Nursing, Internet Journal of Pain Symptom Control and Palliative Care, Journal of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy, Journal of Palliative Care, Journal of Palliative Medicine, Journal of Social Work in End-of-life and Palliative Care, Journal of Supportive Oncology, Palliative Medicine, Palliative and Supportive Care, and Supportive Care in Cancer. Journal contents were searched to identify studies that included cancer pain in abstract.Results:During the years 2009 and 2010, of the selected 1,569 articles published in the journals reviewed, only 5.86% (92 articles) were on cancer pain.Conclusion:While researchers in the field of palliative care have studied cancer pain, the total percentage for studies is still a low 5.86%. To move the field of palliative care forward so that appropriate guidelines for cancer pain management can be developed, it is critical that more research be reported upon which to base cancer pain therapy in an evidence-based palliative care model.

Pain and symptom management in palliative care and at end of life

“…In December 2004 at the State-of-the-Science Conference on Improving End-of-Life Care (Grady, 2005), interdisciplinary experts evaluated the end-of-life research and concluded that interventions and measures required validation, especially for diverse settings and groups (NIH, 2004). Since then, a number of systematic reviews have been published to report on pain and symptom assessment or interventions among selected groups of patients with life-limiting illnesses (Docherty et al, 2008; Dy, 2010; Gilbertson-White, Aouizerat, Jahan, & Miaskowski, 2011; Kumar, 2011; Lorenz et al, 2008; Mularski et al, 2009; Robinson et al, 2009; von Gunten, 2005). In August 2011, the National Institute for Nursing Research convened a Summit on Palliative Care to take stock of the current state of the science.…”

Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses- A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Publications in Palliative Care Journals

“…Palliative care journals have an increased responsibility to publish more systematic reviews and metaanalyses and based on the findings of Bhandari et al, 101 systematic reviews were more cited than narrative reviews 122 and the journals publishing more systematic reviews had higher impact factor, and was widely cited in specialty and non-specialty journals alike. Future studies on association of impact factor 123 with reporting characteristics in palliative care journals [18][19][20] on the quantity and quality of systematic reviews are needed. Indian Journal of Palliative Care being the only journal representing palliative care research in developing countries and Asia, it has a huge responsibility to publish more highlevel evidence hierarchy-based research to improve the global profile 124 …”

“…There were no previous bibliometric analysis for systematic reviews and meta-analyses performed in palliative care journals so far. Previously published studies on analysis of palliative care journals were on reporting of moral problems (ethical issues), 12 euthanasia, 13 chaplains and community-based clergy, 14,15 and, religion and spirituality, cancer pain, 18 pediatric palliative care 19 and quality of life. 20 The objective of this present study was to perform a bibliometric analysis of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in palliative care journals.…”

Reporting of pediatric palliative care: A systematic review and quantitative analysis of research publications in palliative care journals

“…[19] The objective of this paper was to perform a quantitative analysis of research articles on pediatric palliative care published in palliative care journals over the past 5 years.…”