Prevalence of Pain and Factors Affecting it in Patients with Lung Cancer in Ilam

Background: Pain has been known as one of the most common, persistent, and complex symptoms of patients with lung cancer. Objectives: The aim of this research is to study the relationship between attitude to pain and the prevalence and method of pain control in patients with lung cancer. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed through the census method in patients suffering from lung cancer in Ilam Province. For data collection, while interviewing the patients and studying their files, instruments were used including demographic characteristics form, brief pain inventory, and pain attitude questionnaire. Data analysis was performed by SPSS v.16 through descriptive statistical tests (mean, percentage, and standard deviation) and analytical tests (independent t-test, ANOVA, and linear regression). Results: Considering the severity of pain, 12 (18.8%) patients had mild pain, 43 (67.2%) had moderate pain, and 9 (14.1%) had severe pain, and all of them reported some degree of pain. According to the findings, mean ± SD of the total score of the questionnaire was 77.15 (3.18), where the minimum and maximum acquired scores were 72 and 85, respectively. Also, no significant relationship was found between any of the dimensions of the attitude to pain questionnaire and the severity of pain. Further the mean ± SD of attitude to pain was 76.58 (2.81), 77.09 (3.28), and 78.22 (3.23) for mild, moderate, and severe pain, respectively. Conclusions: In this study, there was no relationship between pain severity and attitude to pain, which may have been due to the small sample size or the specificity of the study in the group of lung cancer patients. Accordingly, conducting further studies in this regard with a larger sample size is suggested.