Change in cancer pain management in Korea between 2001 and 2006: results of two nationwide surveys.
BACKGROUND
In Korea, many health care professionals have shown increased concern about the management of cancer pain. Five years after a pain management guideline was distributed to Korean physicians, the Korean Society of Hospice and Palliative Care evaluated the change in cancer pain management. The period evaluated was between 2001 and 2006.


METHODS
We did a prospective, cross-sectional cancer pain survey on the change of the pain prevalence and pain intensity, its impact on daily activities and the adequacy of pain management between 2001 and 2006.


RESULTS
Overall, 7565 patients were enrolled from 72 cancer hospitals in the 2001 cancer pain survey and 7245 patients were enrolled from 63 cancer hospitals in the 2006 cancer pain survey. The overall prevalence of cancer pain and the percentage of patients reporting a negative pain management index were significantly decreased in the 2006 cancer pain survey compared with the 2001 cancer pain survey (44.9% vs. 52.1%, P<0.0001 and 41.6% vs. 45.0%, respectively, P=0.0005). However, in 2006, physicians did not prescribe analgesics to 25.8% of the patients with severe pain and they did not adjust the prescribed analgesics properly in 47.4% of the patients with severe pain.


CONCLUSIONS
Some improvement in cancer pain management was noted during the five years between 2001 and 2006. However, all of the physicians who care for cancer patients should pay more attention to cancer pain management, and an educational program for cancer pain management should be distributed to all of the physicians who care for cancer patients.
Hong
Sook Hee
SH
Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
Roh
Sang Young
SY
Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
Kim
Si Young
SY
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Kyunghee University, Seoul, South Korea.
Shin
Sang Won
SW
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.
Kim
Chul Soo
CS
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, South Korea.
Choi
Jin Hyuk
JH
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Ajou University, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
Kim
Sam Yong
SY
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea.
Yim
Chang Yeol
CY
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea.
Sohn
Chang Hak
CH
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Inje University, Busan, South Korea.
Song
Hong Suk
HS
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu, South Korea.
Hong
Young Seon
YS
Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000451:nursing*; D059408:Pain Management / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors