Evaluation of patients’ needs to design and assess a patient education program in cancer pain

Abstract

V Prevost,1 C Delorme,2,3 N Heutte,4 A Leconte,4 C Bechet,5 I Licaj,4 R Bignon,3,6 C Bisson,2,3 S Cauchin,3,7 M Gicquère,3,8 MC Grach,3,8 C Guillaumé,3,9 J Le Garrec,3,7 MC Ropartz,3,10 N Roux,3,9 V Sep Hieng,3,6 A Le Chevalier,3,10 B Clarisse41UMR 1086 Inserm ANTICIPE (Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Treatment and Prevention) and University of Normandy, Caen, France; 2Pain Assessment and Treatment Centre, Bayeux Hospital, Bayeux, France; 3Regional Pain Network for Lower Normandy, Bayeux, France; 4Clinical Research Unit, Centre François Baclesse, Caen, France; 5Pharmacie de la Croix d’Or, Paris, France; 6Pain and Palliative Care Unit, Lisieux Hospital, Lisieux, France; 7Pain Assessment and Treatment Consultation, Alençon-Mamers Intercommunal Hospital, Alençon, France; 8Pain and Palliative Care Unit, Centre François Baclesse, Caen, France; 9Pain and Palliative Care Unit, University Hospital, Caen, France; 10Pain Assessment and Treatment Centre, Avranches-Granville Hospital, Avranches, FrancePurpose: Patient education constitutes a relevant strategy to improve pain management. In the field of therapeutic patient education (TPE), we aimed 1) to assess pain impact in cancer patients, 2) to identify patients’ educative needs in pain management, and 3) to refine research criteria for its future evaluation.Patients and methods: Pain intensity, relief and interference were assessed in 75 cancer patients with unbalanced background pain. Self-assessment questionnaire evaluated i) patients’ pain management and ii) their knowledge and needs in TPE.Results: Most patients experienced pain for more than 6 months and 41.6% reported adequate pain relief. Understanding pain and pain management were major patients’ preferences (>58%). Most patients declared they knew their pain treatments, but fewer than half of them were able to name them. However, education concerning pain treatment was considered as essential in <30% of patients. Almost all patients (97.1%) stated pain education as beneficial, with a preference for individualized sessions (41.2%). In addition, the assessment criteria for its future evaluation were refined.Conclusion: Targeted population mainly concerned patients with persistent pain. Only half of patients reported pain relief despite antalgics. Patient education was declared as beneficial for almost all participants.Practice implications: Tailoring a pain TPE on patients’ needs has the potential to help them to optimally manage their pain daily.Keywords: cancer pain, pain management, pain assessment, patient education, educative needs, questionnaire

Keywords

• cancer pain
• pain management
• pain assessment
• patient education
• educative needs
• questionnaire