title: Supporting self-management of pain by patients with advanced cancer: views of palliative care professionals.
abstract: The aim of the study is to ascertain the views of specialist palliative care professionals on patient self-management of cancer pain in order to inform the development of a new educational intervention to support self-management.
  
  
  
  This is a qualitative research study using focus group interviews.
  
  
  
  Participants viewed self-management of cancer pain as desirable and achievable but also as something that could be problematic. Challenges to self-management were perceived in patient attitudes and behaviours, professionals' own beliefs and actions and the wider social system. Practitioners showed awareness of potential tension between their espoused views (the desirability that patients manage pain autonomously) and their tacit views (the undesirability of patients managing pain in ways which conflict with professionals' knowledge and identity).
  
  
  
  Practitioners espoused patient-centred professional practice which inclined them towards supporting self-management. They showed awareness of factors which might inhibit them from effectively incorporating education and support for self-management into routine practice.
authors.affiliation: School of Healthcare, Baines Wing, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9UT, UK. n.d.hughes@leeds.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Nicholas D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: School of Healthcare, Baines Wing, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9UT, UK.
authors.forename: S José
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Closs
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Flemming
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Palliative Care, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Michael I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Bennett
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Cancer; Education; Focus group interview; Pain; Self-care; Self-management; Specialist palliative care