Barriers to Adequate Pain Control and Opioid Use Among Cancer Survivors: Implications for Nursing Practice.

BACKGROUND: Cancer survivors can experience long-term negative effects from cancer and its treatment. Pain is one of the most common and distressing symptoms that cancer survivors experience. Opioids are often prescribed for pain; however, cancer survivors who have completed active treatment may have unique challenges with regard to pain management. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore barriers to pain management and perceptions of opioid use among cancer survivors. METHODS: This research was an exploratory pilot study using in-depth qualitative interviews with adult cancer survivors who were recruited from community-based survivorship organizations. Data were analyzed using applied thematic analysis techniques. RESULTS: Participants (n = 25) were mostly women (96%), diagnosed with breast cancer (88%) and stages I to III disease (84%), with a mean age of 56.2 years. Three themes on barriers to adequate pain control emerged: (1) taking just enough to take the edge off: self-medicating behaviors and nonadherence to prescribed regimen; (2) lack of insurance coverage and costly alternative pain treatment options; and (3) chronicity of cancer-related pain not adequately addressed and often mismanaged. CONCLUSIONS: Discussions with cancer survivors unveiled personal accounts of unmanaged pain resulting from limited pain management/opioid education, fear of opioid addiction, negative perceptions/experiences with opioids, lack of insurance coverage for alternative pain therapies, and regulatory policies limiting access to opioids. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: There is a clear need for improved access to multimodal pain management options and nonopioid alternatives for cancer survivors. Oncology nurses should endeavor to support policies and procedures aimed at opioid education, training, and legislation.

Spiritual Caregiving and Assessments for America's Religious 'Nones': A Chaplaincy Perspective.

One in four American patients now identify as religiously unaffiliated. This study utilizes thematic analysis to deliver qualitative results from in-depth interviews conducted with five chaplains at a premier cancer research institution in Florida to envision what care for their spiritual dimension should look like in practice. It demonstrates why the chaplains interviewed suggested that spiritual caregiving still contributes to their holistic wellbeing, and it suggests how spiritual care and assessments may be provided to so-called religious 'nones'-or those who identify as spiritual but not religious, not religiously affiliated, secular humanist, atheist, agnostic, and so on. We conclude with a novel spirituality assessment for use while serving this patient population.

'They say you can get addicted': Exploring factors that fuel the fear of addiction to prescription opioids among cancer survivors.

OBJECTIVES: To explore misconceptions regarding addiction potential of prescription opioids among cancer survivors. METHODS: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of cancer survivors (N = 25) treated with prescription opioids for pain management. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and coded using Atlas.ti version 8. Inductive applied thematic analysis techniques were employed to identify emergent themes. RESULTS: The majority of participants were breast cancer survivors (88%) who underwent a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation (72%). Thematic analysis revealed that (1) cancer survivors view opioids as an illicit drug, (2) media narrative of the opioid epidemic increased negative perception of opioid use for cancer-related pain, (3) perceptions of opioids were also informed by experiences of friends and family with an opioid use disorder, (4) poor understanding of terminology resulted in misconceptions of opioid use and addiction and (5) fear of opioid addiction resulted in unrelieved cancer pain and poor quality of life. CONCLUSION: Our findings support previously identified concerns among cancer patients about fear of addiction to opioids, a barrier to effective pain management. It highlights the importance for health care providers caring for cancer survivors to continue to address misconceptions about prescribed opioids.

Understanding Cancer Survivors' Educational Needs About Prescription Opioid Medications: Implications for Cancer Education and Health Literacy.

Cancer survivors' perceptions of prescription opioid medication (POM) and the health communications they receive about POM's safety and effectiveness are embedded within the national discourse of the opioid epidemic. Using qualitative methods, this community-based study explored the health communication and the educational needs of diverse cancer survivors who received opioid agonist treatment to manage cancer pain. Our community-based sample consisted of 25 cancer survivors, 24 healthcare providers, and six community-level stakeholders. Over half of the cancer survivors interviewed were from underrepresented minority groups (52% African American and 12% Hispanic/Latino). The data were analyzed using applied thematic analysis techniques. The over-arching themes include the need to (1) provide clear, consistent, and comprehensive education and information about POM to ensure safe use; (2) discuss the risks, benefits, and proper use of POM in the treatment of cancer-related pain; (3) communicate realistic expectations and address common misconceptions about pain; and (4) address cancer survivor beliefs and concerns surrounding fear of addiction. Our findings highlight the need for effective cancer education and communication about opioid agonist treatment and POM in plain simple language that is easy to understand, relevant, and culturally appropriate. Recommendations for cancer education and suggestions for future research are discussed.