title: Cancer pain management at home: voice from an underdeveloped region of China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pain is a major problem for patients with advanced cancer and one of the most frequent and disturbing of all cancer-related symptoms. Researchers continue to report that cancer pain remains undertreated. Inadequate pain control can significantly affect the patient's quality of life and may in turn affect the patient's will to live or comply with treatment recommendations. A better understanding of the experience of cancer pain management is important in identifying factors responsible for undertreated pain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to obtain the experience of cancer pain management.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a phenomenological approach to explore the status of cancer pain management through participants' experience. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 family caregivers, patients, and acquaintances and 14 health professionals (nurses and physicians) from a regional tertiary hospital in northwest China. Data were collected by in-depth interviews. We used a qualitative description after full transcription of every interview. Analysis involved the identification of themes and the development of a taxonomy of participants' experience of cancer pain management.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Taxonomy used in this study is to identify, code, group, and name meaning units of the transcribed interviews by reading through repeatedly to obtain an initial sense. Four themes were identified: (1) marginalization, (2) hopelessness and helplessness, (3) deficiency of access and resources, and (4) expectations related to pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings from this study suggest that the situation of patients with undertreated cancer pain continues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Special attention should be paid by policymakers, professionals, and family caregivers to the marginalized group of cancer patients who suffer with pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Changhai Hospital, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Xiang
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-Qiang
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Hong-Xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Xiu-Ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ling-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Wen-Jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Meng-Jie
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Xian-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Ji-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome