Effectiveness of a clinical intervention in improving pain control in outpatients with cancer treated by radiation therapy
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Quebec-Hotel-Dieu de Quebec, Quebec City (Canada)
- Department of Family Medicine, Laval Hospital, Quebec City, Quebec (Canada)
- Research Centre of Laval Hospital, Laval University, Sainte-Foy, Quebec (Canada)
- Palliative Care Research Team, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec (Canada)
Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of a multicomponent clinical intervention to reduce pain in outpatients with cancer. Methods and Materials: Sixty-four patients were randomly assigned to receive either a clinical intervention including an information session, the use of a pain diary, and the possibility to contact a physician to adjust the pain medication, or the usual treatment of pain by the staff radiation oncologist. All patients reported their average and worst pain levels at baseline and 2 and 3 weeks after the start of the intervention. Results: The study groups were similar with respect to their baseline characteristics and pain levels at randomization. After 3 weeks, the average and worst pain experienced by patients randomized to the clinical intervention group was significantly inferior to the average pain experienced by patients in the control group (2.9/10 vs. 4.4/10 and 4.2/10 vs. 5.5/10, respectively). Results showed that the experimental group patients decreased their pain levels more than the control group patients did over time. Conclusion: An intervention including patient education, a pain diary, and defining a procedure for therapeutic adjustments can be effective to improve pain relief in outpatients with cancer.
- OSTI ID:
- 20850076
- Journal Information:
- International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, Vol. 66, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2005.12.057; PII: S0360-3016(06)00816-9; Copyright (c) 2006 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0360-3016
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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