Interns’ Attitudes on Cancer Pain and Its Management

Abstract

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate interns’ attitudes in terms of cancer pain and its management, including opioid prescription.Material and Method: Questionnaires consisting of 2 parts (attitudes toward cancer pain and its management as well as attitudes toward opioid prescription), were completed by 125 out of 165 interns (75.8%).Result: The majority of them thought that maximum analgesic treatment should be commenced when patients’ life expectancy was not more than 1 year (76.0%). They rated the patients’ requirement for pain medications as average (73.6%) and supposed that the demand for higher analgesic doses indicating increased pain level (60.8%). Almost seventy percent would cautiously regulate the dosage and frequency of opioids to avoid tolerance and addiction. Two thirds did not agree to provide too low dose of opioid to prevent tolerance. Over 80.0% did not agree that they should inform patients, as well as their relatives, that opioids were bad, nor did they reassure them that trying to bear pain may be a better alternative. Over half would discourage patients who were willing to stand the pain and refused to receive a morphine injection. None strongly agreed not to prescribe opioids due to a fear of respiratory depression.Conclusion: Although the minority of the participated interns had negative attitudes towards cancer pain and its management, these negative attitudes may influence their clinical judgment and practice, which lead to inadequate pain management being provided to cancer pain patients, who are in need for optimal pain relief.