Pain in home hospice patients: an exploratory descriptive study

A descriptive, exploratory study was conducted to determine the prevalence, severity, and relationship of pain to the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of hospice patients. From retrospective analysis of initial treatment plans, one hundred subjects were divided into a pain (N = 58) and a non-pain (N = 42) group. Group differences were determined through percentage and chi-square analysis of observed frequencies. Findings on the prevalence, severity, and presence of pain in far-advanced cancer were consistent with those previously reported. The pain group demonstrated significant differences in number of metastatic lesions, physical limitations, alterations in elimination, and alterations in nutrition. The number of subjects completing legal and funeral arrangements was significantly higher for the pain group.