Effects of Pain Education Program on Pain Intensity, Pain Treatment Satisfaction, and Barriers in Turkish Cancer Patients

Abstract

The purpose of this randomized controlled study was to investigate the effect of a pain education program (PEP) on pain intensity, patients' satisfaction with pain treatment, and patient-related barriers to pain management among Turkish patients with cancer. The study was conducted in a sample of 40 patients who were hospitalized for cancer and experiencing pain. The patients were equally randomized to either a PEP or a control group. The data were collected by means of the McGill Pain Questionnaire, the Numeric Rating Scale, and the Barrier Questionnaire–Revised. After the completion of the questionnaires at the first interview, patients in the PEP group received pain education using a pain educational booklet and an explanatory slide program that discussed the booklet's content with the patients. Patients in the control group received routine clinical care. The questionnaires were reapplied to the patients in both groups after 2, 4, and 8 weeks. Participation in a PEP was associated with decreased pain intensity scores for “present” and “least pain” during weeks 2, 4, and 8 ( p < .05). Similarly, there were significant differences between the groups with respect to weeks 2, 4, and 8 satisfaction with pain treatment ( p < .05). At the end of second week, the total BQ-r score decreased significantly in the PEP group from 2.12 to 1.29 compared with 2.30 to 2.28 in the control group ( p < .001). The findings suggest that the PEP decreases pain intensity, improves satisfaction with treatment, and decreases barriers about cancer pain management in cancer patients. Incorparation of PEP into the standard of care for cancer patients with pain may improve the quality of pain management.