Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics Associated With Worst Pain Intensity Among Cancer Patients.
Verlin Joseph, Jinhai Huo, Robert Cook and 7 others
PMID 35227646WHAT IT FOUND
Among cancer patients, Hispanic patients reported higher worst pain than non-Hispanic White patients, and prior toothache, headache, and stomachache were associated with higher worst pain.
This study cannot show cause.
Key findings
01Hispanic participants reported higher mean worst pain than non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White participants.
02In adjusted analysis, being Hispanic was associated with higher worst pain intensity than being non-Hispanic White.
03In adjusted analysis, prior toothache, headache, and stomachache pain were associated with worst cancer pain intensity.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that any characteristic caused higher pain. It measured pain intensity only, not pain interference, treatment, or broader pain experience. It excluded participants who reported Asian, Hawaiian Pacific Islander, or other race/ethnicity, so it does not address those groups. Data came from English-speaking patients recruited at outpatient oncology and palliative care programs in Seattle and Chicago over many years, so it may not apply to non-English speakers or other settings. Only baseline visit variables were analyzed, and pain ratings were self-reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that being Hispanic, having toothache, headache, or stomachache causes worse cancer pain. This was a cross-sectional analysis, so it can only show associations at the same time and cannot determine whether these characteristics led to higher pain.