[Survey on the booklet "Short guidelines for cancer pain-management" issued by the working group "cancer pain" of the german association for the study of pain.].
BACKGROUND
An interdisciplinary working group on cancer pain was founded by the German Association for the Study of Pain in 1991. The goal of this group is the development and dissemination of training and information material, guidelines and curricula in the fields of cancer pain, palliative medicine and the legal regulations for the prescription of opioids.


METHODS
Two editions of short guidelines on cancer pain management have so far been distributed throughout germany (a total of 15 000 copies). In preparation for a revised version, a questionnaire with five questions was sent out to practitioners asking for information on the acceptability of the guidelines and their usefulness in the daily work in practice.


RESULTS
Only 167 of 670 (25%) questionnaires were returned. In almost 75% of these, the guidelines were reported to be informative, and in almost 100% as easily comprehensible. For their daily work, 56% of the respondents found the guidelines very helpful and 40% rather helpful.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this survey clarify the need for concrete guidelines in cancer pain management which are at the same time readily understandable. The new edition of 40 000 copies of the "Abbreviated Guidelines for Cancer Pain Management" was published in October 1993. Because of the good response, a further booklet on "Cancer Pain Management in Children" is being planned.
Zech
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Schmerzambulanz der Klinik für Anaesthesiologie und Operative Intensivmedizin der Universität, Joseph-Stelzmann-Straße 9, D-50924, Köln.
Hanekop
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