Coaching Lessens Pain for Cancer Patients

A study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Davis has shown that cancer patients who received coaching in how to talk to their doctors about pain experienced 20% less discomfort in subsequent weeks. The study was published in the April 16, 2001, issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

An estimated 42% of cancer patients do not get sufficient relief from pain, not because their pain can't be controlled but because of patient-doctor communication barriers. In the study, counselors met for 15 minutes with cancer patients to design an individualized program for pain relief. They asked patients about their beliefs on pain management and had them set goals, such as being able to attend a family gathering or sleep through the night without pain. They also rehearsed what patients would ask for in future visits with their doctors. The control group received a 15-minute educational session on pain control.

The study, says the researchers, underscores the need to involve cancer patients more actively in pain-management decisions. "Health care professionals need to determine their patients' attitudes about pain and encourage them to discuss the subject openly,” noted Dr. Richard Kravitz, a professor of medicine at UC Davis and a member of the research team. "This is not necessarily easy, because patients are often reluctant to disclose their pain.”




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