The effect of an educational intervention on decreasing pain intensity in elderly people with cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To determine if an educational intervention related to pain management could decrease pain intensity in elderly people with cancer.

DESIGN: Quasi-experimental pretest/post-test design.

SETTING: A private oncology practice in urban west central Florida.

SAMPLE: 36 subjects who were 65 years of age or older and had a known cancer diagnosis.

METHODS: Visual Analog Scale (VAS) completed by each subject. Subjects were randomized to an experimental or a control group. Experimental group members watched a 14-minute video produced by the investigator that presented information contained in the booklet "Managing Cancer Pain." Experimental group members also received a copy of the booklet. Control group members received pain management instructions from the office staff. Two weeks later, subjects completed the VAS at two different times on that day and mailed them to the investigator.

FINDINGS: Analysis of covariance revealed a statistically significant difference in pain intensity between the control group and the experimental group.

CONCLUSIONS: Pain management in elderly people with cancer has been underrepresented in the literature and minimally studied. This study indicated that an educational intervention aimed at elderly people with cancer was effective and implies that educational interventions should be a central component in prevention and management of cancer pain in the elderly.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Every effort should be made to educate elderly people with cancer on prevention and management of pain. Nurses must take a leading role in identifying and implementing educational strategies for cancer pain management and side effect control for their elderly patients.