Research article summary (published 13 Apr 2002):

Cancer pain management among underserved minority outpatients: perceived needs and barriers to optimal control.

Full 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. Copyright 2002 American Cancer Society.

Author information

Author/s: Anderson, Karen O (KO); Richman, Stephen P (SP); Hurley, Judith (J); Palos, Guadalupe (G); Valero, Vicente (V); Mendoza, Tito R (TR); Gning, Ibrahima (I); Cleeland, Charles S (CS);

Affiliation: Department of Symptom Research, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. koanderso(-atsign-)mdanderson.org

Grants: CA64766 (Agency:NCI NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Cancer (Cancer), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Apr; vol 94 (issue 8) : pp 2295-304

Dates: Created 2002/05/23; Completed 2002/06/12; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 12001130, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

African Americans Attitude of Health Personnel Female Health Services Accessibility - statistics & numerical data Health Services Needs and Demand - statistics & numerical data Hispanic Americans

Hispanic Americans Humans Male Neoplasms - complications; physiopathology Pain Measurement Pain, Intractable - ethnology; etiology; therapy

Related articles

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

• Concerns and misconceptions about pain among Hong Kong Chinese patients with cancer. 29 Nov 1999
• A cross-cultural study of pain intensity in Egyptian and Dutch women with rheumatoid arthritis. 11 Jun 2007
• An ethnographic study of factors influencing cancer pain management in South Africa. 30 Mar 2000
• The lens model: assessment of cancer pain in a Chinese context. 29 Nov 2000

See 100+ related articles.

Related Article Map

Legend: - FREE Full text Article. - Abstract only. - Title only. More help.

See a large map of 100+ related articles.