Question

A Randomized, Clinical Trial of Education
or Motivational-Interviewing–Based Coaching Compared to Usual Care to Improve Cancer Pain Management

Mary Laudon Thomas, RN, MS, AOCN®, Janette E. Elliott, RN-BC, MS, AOCN®, Stephen M. Rao, Ph.D., Kathleen F. Fahey, RN, MS, CNS, Steven M. Paul, Ph.D., and Christine Miaskowski, RN, Ph.D., FAAN

Despite important advances in its management, cancer pain remains a significant clinical problem (Apolone et al., 2009; McGuire, 2004; van den Beuken-van Everdingen et al., 2007). In a meta-analysis, cancer pain was found in 64% of patients with metastatic disease, 59% of patients receiving antineoplastic therapy, and 33% of patients who had received curative cancer treatment (van den Beuken- van Everdingen et al., 2007). Cancer pain also has a negative effect on patients’ functional status (Ferreira et al., 2008; Holen, Lydersen, Klepstad, Loge, & Kassa, 2008; Vallerand, Templin, Sasenau, & Riley-Doucet, 2007) and is associated with psychological distress (Cohen et al., 2003; Vallerand, Hasenau, Templin, & Collins-Bohler, 2005). The effect of cancer pain on an individual’s quality of life (QOL) can be significant and extend beyond disturbances in mood and physical function (Burckhardt & Jones, 2005; Dahl, 2004; Fortner et al., 2003).

Data analysis

Were the descriptive or inferential statistics appropriate to the level of measurement for each variable? Use the above article to answer the question

Answer 1

The analytical method described in the mentioned article is quite sufficient to explain the different aspect of the variables. Here, randomized clinical trial were applied to check the efficiency of two interventions compared to customary care in decreasing attitudinal barriers to cancer pain management, decreasing pain intensity, and improving functional status and quality of life. This experiment has been conducted in 6 outpatient oncology clinics with 318 adults who were suffering from various types of cancer-related pain. These patients were randomly allocated in three different groups that is control, standardized, or training. The mentioned three groups were also analyzed for their covariance to assess the differences in study conclusion. These descriptive and inferential statistics are sufficient to suitably measure the variable.