Educational programs and cancer pain

Abstract

Cognitive aspects are involved in cancer pain experience and management. Establishing and testing cognitive interventions, like educational programs, can improve pain control. The purpose of this investigation was to analyze studies about educational programs for cancer pain patients and their caregivers, and describe nurses' role in these programs. A literature review was made from MedLine data base, accessed through PubMed, LILACS and BDENF. Ten studies made up the sample. Analysis about the impact of education programs in cancer pain management concluded that education programs resulted in improvement of quality of life and pain intensity, shifts in beliefs and conceptions about cancer pain management, increase in the use of pain medications and positive opinion of patients about the use of non drug interventions. The programs focused on concepts and causes of pain, pain impairment on daily diary, drug and non drug treatment and the importance of talking about pain with health care providers. A booklet was the most used educational material, followed by and audio cassette tapes.. Nurses were teachers in six programs.