Original Research

Pain in head and neck cancer survivors in South Africa: A cross-sectional study

Terral Patel, Nicholas Fung, Lauren Gardiner, Kelly E. Daniels, Nathan Lu, Rene Krause, Julie Wetter, Gerrit Viljoen, Johannes J. Fagan
Journal of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa | Vol 2, No 1 | a56 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/jcmsa.v2i1.56 | © 2024 Terral Patel, Nicholas Fung, Lauren Gardiner, Kelly E. Daniels, Nathan Lu, Rene Krause, Julie Wetter, Gerrit Viljoen, Johannes J. Fagan | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 18 November 2023 | Published: 10 May 2024

About the author(s)

Terral Patel, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, United States of America
Nicholas Fung, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, United States of America
Lauren Gardiner, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, United States of America
Kelly E. Daniels, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, United States of America
Nathan Lu, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, United States of America
Rene Krause, Division of Interdisciplinary Palliative Care and Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Julie Wetter, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Gerrit Viljoen, Division of Otolaryngology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Johannes J. Fagan, Division of Otolaryngology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

Background: Pain is often a significant symptom in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of pain, factors limiting effective pain management, and whether differences in pain management exist between the public and private health sectors in South Africa in HNC patients after they have completed treatment.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey using the Brief Pain Inventory was performed on adults over the age of 18 years treated for HNC of any subsite in both a public and private hospital in Cape Town, South Africa.

Results: Overall pain scores indicated mild levels of pain and impact on daily activities. The domains of life most affected by pain were general activity, sleep and mood. There was no difference in pain scores between public hospital patients versus those with private insurance. Less than half of the patients reported receiving all their necessary medications. Most of the postoperative pain was managed with paracetamol, tramadol and ibuprofen, with only 12.8% of patients using morphine.

Conclusion: This study provides a survey of pain experiences in HNC patients in a middle-income country. Insurance status did not significantly impact pain experiences, indicating equitable access to pain management resources. However, the overall utilisation of morphine and medications used to treat neuropathic pain is low. Further research is needed into the complex factors associated with pain in HNC patients.

Contribution: This article is an example of a standard clinical study on patient-reported outcome measures.


Keywords

head and neck cancer; pain; quality of life; opioid; patient reported outcome measure; survivorship

Sustainable Development Goal

Goal 3: Good health and well-being

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