Concerns about Morphine and Medication Behavior in Cancer Outpatients with Pain

Abstract

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify concerns about morphine and medication behavior and its related factors in cancer outpatients with pain. Subjects were 30 cancer outpatients who agreed to participate in this study. We interviewed the outpatients using Barriers Questionnaire (BQ), the Japanese version of Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), and Medication Behavior Questionnaire we developed for this study. The following results were obtained :

  

1. BQ was translated into Japanese and reliability of the Japanese version of BQ was confirmed.

2. There were high scores in BQ subscales of progression, tolerance and addiction.

3. There was a significant negative correlation in fatalism, addiction and total BQ with age.

4. Cancer patients who experienced side effects were high scores in BQ subscales of side effects. There was a significant difference between side effects and BQ subscales of side effects.

5. Factor analysis yielded there factors of regular medication behavior, medication consultation or adjustment, and additional adjustment of medication. There was a tendency that outpatients did not responded to regular medication behavior if concerns about morphine were high. It showed a significant negative correlation between total BQ and regular medication behavior.

6. BQ subscales of fatalism, addiction, side effects, tolerance, distraction and total BQ showed a significant positive correlation with least pain of BPI.

  

These findings suggested that nurses should provide information on morphine effects and side effects to outpatients. Also, nurses should continue to help outpatients to participate in pain management.