title: Pain control in Taiwanese patients with cancer: a multicenter, patient-oriented survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Under-treatment of cancer pain remains a common problem in Taiwan. Prior studies were mainly in hospitalized patients and limited to one or a few centers. This prospective, multicenter, patient-focused survey assessed the prevalence, severity and management of cancer pain in oncology clinic outpatients. Analgesic use and patient satisfaction with analgesic therapy were also evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 480 Taiwanese patients receiving outpatient treatment at 15 different outpatient clinics were included in this study. There were 263 males and 217 females with a mean age of 62.13 years. Patients completed a 4-question survey about the presence or absence of pain, pain severity, analgesic therapy, and satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the degree of analgesia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain was reported by 257 patients (54%). Severe pain was reported by 35% and moderate pain by 35.4% of patients. Only 149 of the patients who reported pain (58%) were receiving analgesic medication, with a roughly equivalent number of males and females. Most (95 of 149, 64%) reported being satisfied or very satisfied with pain control although this percentage was higher among males than females (68.23% vs 57.8%). Major variation in the results was noted among study centers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this survey of Taiwanese outpatients with cancer confirm that cancer pain is under-treated in oncology clinics in Taiwan. A major goal of cancer management is to achieve high rates of patient satisfaction and compliance with treatment which maintains or improves quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ruey Kuen
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics