Background: Cancer pain is an unpleasant
experience affecting individuals, functionally
and psychosocially. Holistic assessment is
therefore considered for satisfactory control
of cancer pain. The Short Form Brief Pain
Inventory (SF BPI) is a globally used validated
tool for assessment of cancer pain.
Translated and validated Sinhala version is
available in Sri Lanka.
Objective: To determine sensory aspects of
cancer pain and their association with quality
of life of patients with cancer pain.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study
was carried out at Apeksha Hospital,
Maharagama among patients (n=384; 18-80
years) with all types of cancer-related pain
of at least a month or longer duration.
Patients with psychological instability and/or
with primary cancers or metastases in the
brain were excluded. Sensory (0 -10; no pain
to worst pain) and reactive items of pain (0-
10; does not interfere to completely
interfere) were measured on a numerical
rating scale using SF BPI Sinhala version.
Descriptive analysis was done for
demographic, sensory and reactive data.
The
strength of relationship between sensory and
reactive variables was tested using Spearman
correlation.
Results: Mean age of the participants was 56
years (SD ± 11.8) and, the majority were
females (n=231; 60.2%).
Means of pain scores
in the last 24 hours were analyzed; worst pain
7.9 (SD ± 1.9); least pain 0.72 (SD ± 1.3);
average pain 4.6 (SD ±1.5); pain now 2.5 (SD
± 2.3). Mean of the interference items was
5.4 (SD ± 2.0). Statistically significant
(p<0.001) moderate to weak relationship
between sensory and reactive variables were
noted for relationship with other people
(r=0.380), sleep (r=0.39S), normal work
(r=0.293), general activities (r=0.261), mood
(r=0.251) and walking ability (r=0.211).
Conclusions: Despite variation in the
intensity of cancer pain felt over 24 hours, a
significant weak to moderate association
with the quality of life was noted.
