Concerns and misconceptions about pain among Hong Kong Chinese patients with cancer

It is estimated that approximately 50% of patients with cancer experience pain, and this percentage increases to 80% in patients with terminal cancer. Misconceptions and concerns of patients with cancer regarding the use of opioid analgesics have been identified as one of the major barriers to achieving optimal pain control. Misconceptions and concerns regarding addiction and tolerance to opioid analgesics and patients' desire to be "good" have been reported in the United States. The aim of this survey was to determine if similar misconceptions and concerns exist in Hong Kong Chinese patients with cancer. The results indicate that Hong Kong Chinese patients have the same concerns regarding the use of opioid analgesics. The respondents' fatalistic beliefs are a major hindrance to optimizing pain control, with 79% indicating that pain is an inevitable aspect of hospitalization because they believe that cancer pain cannot be relieved by medications. Fear of addiction was a major concern for 52% of the respondents, and about the same number of respondents believed that opioid analgesics should be administered only as a last resort. Regarding a desire to be "good," more patients reported that they would prefer to disturb nurses rather than physicians. It is desirable that culturally specific education programs be provided to dispel patient misconceptions and concerns regarding the use of opioid analgesics.