title: Oncologists' perceptions of cancer pain management in Spain: the real and the ideal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies in some countries suggest that cancer pain is often not adequately controlled, but little is known about the situation in Spain. The objective of this study was to identify medical oncologists' perceptions about pain management in their patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two-round Delphi survey of 24 medical oncologists from 22 large, geographically diverse hospitals in Spain. Physicians rated each of 150 statements on a Likert scale (1=strongly disagree; 5=strongly agree). The mean, standard deviation and frequency of replies in three agreement categories were calculated for each item. Statements allowing comparison of oncologists' perceptions of how pain is managed in routine clinical practice with how it should be managed were grouped together and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most notable discrepancies between the real and the ideal occurred in the failure to provide written information or to confirm that patients understand what they are told, the lack of comprehensive and systematic evaluation of pain, and the lack of use of non-pharmacological treatments (NPTs) for cancer pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medical oncologists need to improve their communication skills, providing patients with both written and verbal information about their disease and the plan for pain management. Pain should be evaluated at each patient visit using validated scales, and greater attention should be paid to the possible use of NPTs.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebrón, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carulla Torrent
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jara Sánchez
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanz Ortiz
authors.forename: Norberto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Batista López
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Camps Herrero
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cassinello Espinosa
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lizón Giner
authors.forename: Joaqui N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Montalar Salcedo
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fitch Warner
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gobbo Montoya
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Díaz-Rubio García
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002985:Clinical Protocols / Q000592:standards; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics