Pain control in oncological patients treated causally and symptomatically

Introduction: The illness is associated with a variety of symptoms, the most nagging is pain, resulting in cognitive, emotional and behavioral consequences. In the case of life-threatening diseases such as cancer, coping with stress goes through the sequence of treatment related stages up to the terminal condition of the patient. In the process of adaptation to the illness the central role is attributed to cognitive assessment, in particular – to beliefs about pain control. Pain is a multidimensional and subjective experience what results in difficulties in its direct and objective assessment.

Aim of the study: The research aims to compare the patients of oncological hospital units being in the course of causal treatment period with palliative care patients. The subject of research is the control of pain and psychological adaptation to illness. It is also important to determine whether the beliefs about pain control are associated with undertaking adaptation strategies to cope with the illness.

Material and methods: A group of 80 oncological patients: 40 treated causally in the oncology hospital unit and 40 of palliative care.

Results: For causally treated patients in the oncology hospital unit the internal location of pain control correlates positively with constructive way of coping with the illness and ‘fighter’ spirit, which was not observed in patients in palliative care. Pain control attributed to the influence of doctors and random events correlates positively with destructive strategies, manifesting mainly helplessness-hopelessness in causally treated patients. Hospice patients, who have the belief that pain can be controlled by physicians apply the strategies of ‘fighter’ spirit, but at the same time they experience anxiety over which they cannot control.

Słowa kluczowe: lokalizacja kontroli bólu, pacjenci onkologiczni.

Key words: location of pain control, oncological patients.