Degree of Pain, and Barriers and Satisfaction with Pain Management among Home Care Cancer Patients

재가 암환자의 통증, 통증관리 장애정도 및 통증관리 만족도

Purpose: To investigate the degree of pain, and to identify barriers to and satisfaction with pain management, in an effort to provide baseline data for effective pain management interventions. Methods: The study design was descriptive and correlational. A total of 100 cancer patients who were cared for at home participated in this study. Questions regarding self-rated pain, as well as barriers to and satisfaction with pain management were included in the study instruments. The data were collected by nurses using a face-to-face interview method in May of 2008. Results: Thirty six percent of the participants were in their 70's and 18.0% suffered from cancer of the large intestine. The usual degree of pain was reported as 3.43 out of 10 points, and the study patients were generally moderately satisfied with their pain management (M=$3.15{\pm}0.78$; range, 1-5). The mean barrier score was $3.24{\pm}0.52$ (range, 1-5) and concerns regarding the progress of cancer was the most highly evaluated barrier. There was a negative relationship between the degree of pain and satisfaction with pain management, and between barriers to and satisfaction with pain management. Conclusion: The precise evaluation of pains is crucial to the proper management of pain, and the education and promotion of proper pain management practices may help to overcome barriers to pain management for cancer patients.