These data suggest that patients are more satisfied with transdermal fentanyl compared with sustained-release oral forms of morphine. A lower frequency and reduced impact of side effects with transdermal fentanyl may be one reason cancer patients who receive fentanyl are more satisfied with their pain management.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to elicit women's perceptions of their experiences with hysterectomy, oophorectomy, and surgical menopause. Focus group and individual interviews were used to obtain data from a sample of southern urban women who had had hysterectomies for benign reasons. Of the 38 women who participated, 22 were African American and 16 were Caucasian, the mean age was 48 years, and most were low to middle income. Findings revealed that biophysical, psychosocial, and spiritual domains were important in the decision to have a hysterectomy. For many, the choice to have a hysterectomy was a last resort and was viewed as a technique that could relieve a myriad of symptoms. Although most participants described the hysterectomy experience as positive, they expressed a variety of concerns from diagnosis through recovery. Participants expressed a need for information about women's gynecological health for themselves and their male partners. African American women expressed a need for change in attitudes and beliefs in the black community about women undergoing hysterectomy. Many spouses, brothers, uncles, and other African American male friends were nonsupportive, and a few women revealed that they had not told a new partner about the surgery. The findings have implications for women's healthcare providers. Provider training and education are needed that integrate biophysical care of women with the psychological, sociological, and spiritual domains. Efforts must be directed to the community to enlighten men and families about hysterectomy by dispelling myths and providing current health information related to women's gynecological health and alternatives to, indications for, and types of hysterectomy.

This article reviews recruitment and retention issues in a multisite, multistate (California, New York, Connecticut, Georgia, Alabama) 6-month prospective cross-sectional study focused on quality of life among 230 women with lung cancer. Recruitment of women into clinical trials and their retention are important, yet understudied. To date, few articles have described the challenges associated with recruiting women with lung cancer to participate in clinical research. Data from this trial were used to investigate the most effective strategies for recruitment across sites, to identify the most common reasons for refusal and attrition, and to identify challenges and potential solutions to recruitment and retention issues associated with multisite clinical research studies. Strategies for recruitment included letters from physicians, posters, announcements in community support groups, and newspaper and radio advertisements. Three sites allowed the researchers to contact potential participants directly, whereas 2 sites required the potential participants to contact the researchers for further information. Enrollment included 63% of the women eligible for the study (n = 230). The most common reasons for refusal were health limitations (n = 60), lack of interest (n = 46), and inconvenience (n = 16). The most common reasons for attrition (24% of the sample) were death (n = 21) and severity of illness (n = 13). Challenges related to recruitment and retention varied by geographic location.