Patterns of pain experiences and use of analgesics among hospitalized cancer patients in Korea.

Four hundred fifty cancer patients were selected from two public university hospitals and two private university hospitals in a large-sized city (Seoul) as well as a medium-sized city (Taegu) in Korea. Patients were interviewed regarding their experiences with pain during hospitalization and their medical records were reviewed. About 70% of cancer patients had cancer-related pain. Over 50% of the patients with pain had metastases. These findings indicate that Korean patients have relatively advanced cancer status and more severe pain compared with cancer patients hospitalized for treatment in the United States. The mean daily morphine equivalent dose, however, was 55.7 mg, which is lower than practices in the United States. Health professionals seem to rely on their preconceptions about pain and pain management. The results suggest the need for standardization of pain assessment, individualization of pain treatment, and development of educational programs for pain relief measures to improve the care of cancer patients who suffer from pain.