Pain Management Strategies among Cancer Patients. Normalization of the CSQ (The Pain Coping Strategies Questionnaire) Form.

Urszula Religioni,Sylwia Jopek,Olga Partyka,Monika Pajewska,Dominika Mękal,Krzysztof Zdziarski,Ewa Ziółkowska,Michał Waszkiewicz,Łukasz Strzępek,Anna Augustynowicz,Elżbieta Cipora,Aleksandra Czerw,Katarzyna Sygit,Tomasz Banaś

doi:10.3390/ijerph19021013

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer is associated with chronic pain, which significantly reduces the quality of life. The level of pain depends on the dominant pain management strategy that the patient uses. Objective: This study seeks to evaluate the application of the Pain Coping Strategies Questionnaire among cancer patients and develop norms allowing differentiation of patients with diagnosed cancer in terms of pain management strategies. Material and Methods: The study involved 1187 patients diagnosed with malignant cancer, who are under outpatient care of the Maria Sklodowska-Curie Institute—Oncology Center in Warsaw. The study used the Pain Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ) elaborated by A.K. Rosentel and F.J. Keefe. Results: Socioeconomic variables and medical factors affect pain management strategies chosen by patients. The area most strongly differentiated by the studied variables is praying/hoping. Factors that have the greatest impact on the choice of pain management strategies for cancer patients include education, income, and radiation therapy. Sten standards were developed to determine the severity of pain management strategies used in the low-average-high categories. Conclusions: The CSQ questionnaire should be used in cancer patients, and the result of the strategy used can be a prognostic factor for the expected effects of therapy. Knowledge of the variables most strongly affecting patients’ choice of strategies that are not conducive to strengthening health attitudes and the ability to determine the severity of pain management strategies on standard scales allows us to focus psychotherapeutic activities on patients who need support most.

Highlights

Cancer is associated with chronic pain, which significantly reduces the quality of life
The study involved 1187 patients (666 women and 521 men) who were diagnosed with cancer
The study by Ślusarska, B. et al, including patients with various types of cancer receiving hospice care, indicates that they cope with pain most by praying and hoping (M = 26.92), declaring coping (M = 17.65) and catastrophizing (M = 14.85), and these results are differentiated by education, place of residence [4]

Summary

Introduction

Cancer is associated with chronic pain, which significantly reduces the quality of life. Cancer is the second most common cause of death for Poles (right after cardiovascular diseases), causing 27.3% of deaths among men and almost 24.1% of deaths among women in 2016. The most common cancer in Poland in the female population include breast cancer, lung cancer, and endometrial cancer, and in the male population, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer. The dominant causes of cancer-related deaths in women include lung cancer, breast cancer, and endometrial cancer, and in men, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer [1]. Cancer causes a significant reduction in the quality of life of patients, mainly through frequent pain, which is defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with existing or possible tissue damage [2]. It is indicated that pain may be physiological (warning about a threat) or pathological in situations where it accompanies the disease [2]

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Discussion

Conclusion