Cancer pain assessment and management in ambulatory patients at a tertiary hospital in Ghana

Abstract

Background: Adequate cancer pain assessment using valid and reliable pain assessment tools is essential for effective cancer pain management. This study evaluated the common types, effectiveness as well as adherence to prescribed analgesics in oncology outpatients in a tertiary oncology centre in Ghana.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study involved 204 oncology outpatients with different confirmed cancer diagnosis attending clinic at the Oncology Directorate of a Tertiary Hospital in Ghana. The research instruments used were the medical folders of patients, a hospital-based electronic drug database system; hospital administration management systems (HAMS) and the Brief Pain Inventory Long-Form (BPI-LF).Results: More than half (63.7%) of the participants reported moderate pain, 37.8% received opioid analgesics: 31.4% strong opioids and 6.4% weak opioids. Less than one-fourth (21.6%) had complete pain relief and 18.1% felt they needed a stronger pain medication. A little more than one-fourth (28.4%) of participants took their pain medications 1-2 times per day. Almost half (45.6%) of participants did not experience side effects from taking pain medications and 27.9% needed more information about their pain medications.Conclusions: Enhancing effective cancer symptom management approaches in healthcare practitioners and incorporating existing knowledge and guidelines on cancer pain management into routine clinical practice should be done to enhance efficient pain relief.

Adequacy of Cancer-Related Pain Treatments and Factors Affecting Proper Management in Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Mekelle, Ethiopia

“…According to this study, 43.9% of patients received inadequate pain management, which is lower in comparison to a study result from Gondar which reported 65% of cancer patients had received inadequate pain management [ 16 ]. However, it was found that our result was higher as compared to a research performed in Portugal (25.6%) [ 12 ] and in Ghana (26.4%) [ 25 ]. The main determinants in CRP treatment are patient-related factors [ 26 , 27 ], disease conditions including stage of cancer (all patients were with stage II and above) and presence of metastasis (42%), and healthcare provider-related factors [ 28 ] that may contribute to the undertreatment of cancer-related pain, which were not assessed in this study.…”

Adequacy of cancer-related pain management and associated factors among cancer patients in Northwest Ethiopia a multicentre cross-sectional study

“…The reason why relatively adequate cancer-related pain management in our setting might be due to improved medical education and more attention from local, national, and worldwide organizations from time to time [1,12]. However, our nding is still lower as compared to studies reported in Japan (75%) [14]and Ghana (74.6%) [22]. this variation may be due to the barriers related to the healthcare system, health professionals, and patient-related factors [8,17].…”

“…Pain interferes with over half of all cancer patients' daily activities [7]. Pain is typically severe enough to affect their capacity to function, even when it is addressed [8,9]. Because cancer pain has a negative impact on the patient's functional abilities, therapies aimed at cancer pain management should reduce pain while also improving the functioning of a cancer patient [3].…”

Adequacy of cancer-related pain management using the Pain Management Index among patients with cancer in the Northwest oncology centres of Ethiopia: an institutional-based cross-sectional study

“…The possible explanation might be due to improved health education and increased attention from local, national and international organisations from time to time 1 15. On the contrary, this finding is lower as compared with studies reported in Japan (75%)24 and Ghana (74.6%) 9. This variation may be due to the barriers related to the healthcare system, health professionals and patient-related factors 8 19.…”

“…Pain is typically severe enough to affect their capacity to function, even when it is addressed 8 9. Because cancer pain has a negative impact on the patient’s functional abilities, therapies aimed at cancer pain management should reduce pain while also improving the functioning of a patient with cancer 3.…”