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Use of complementary and integrative health in cancer pain management among patients undergoing cancer treatments: a qualitative descriptive study

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Abstract

Background

Pain is a common symptom in patients undergoing cancer treatment. Despite recommendations for the stronger integration of complementary and integrative health (CIH) in cancer pain management, little is known about the individual experience of using this approach for cancer pain, particularly in certain populations such as African Americans.

Objective

This study aimed to describe the experiences of using CIH for pain in African American and White patients with cancer undergoing cancer treatments.

Methods

A secondary analysis of qualitative descriptive data from a subsample of patients with cancer in a parent study of their illness concerns was employed. Atlas.ti 8.0 was used for data management and qualitative analysis. Counts of participant-endorsed themes were tabulated to discern differences in themes by group.

Results

Of 32 participants (16 African American, 16 White), 22 reported CIH usage for cancer pain management, with equal distribution between groups (11 each). Three themes emerged: Approach to, Reasons for, and Barriers to CIH Use. Psychological approaches were most common (n = 15). Nutritional, physical, and combination approaches were less common and more often employed by White participants. Reasons for CIH use were to reduce opioid consumption or for an opioid adjuvant. Personal limitations and access issues contributed to Barriers to CIH use.

Conclusions

Both African American and White patients used CIH for pain management while undergoing cancer treatments. However, some preferential differences in CIH approaches by race surfaced. Further research into these differences may uncover new ways of addressing disparities in cancer pain management with CIH.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are deeply grateful to the patients and their family caregivers who participated in the study during a vulnerable time in their lives. The authors would also like to acknowledge Liana Yocavitch and Jessica Davis for their contributions in coding of the qualitative interview transcripts.

Funding

This research was supported by the American Cancer Society Grant awarded to Dr. Salimah H. Meghani (ACS #128779-PEP-15–186). Dr. Kristin Levoy was funded by a National Institute of Nursing Research Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award program (T32NR009356) at the time of conducting this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abramson Cancer Center, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Suzanne L. Walker

  2. Department of Community and Health Systems, Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Kristin Levoy

  3. Indiana University Center for Aging Research, Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Kristin Levoy

  4. Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Kristin Levoy

  5. Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, NewCourtland Center for Transitions and Health, Leonard Davis Institute for Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Salimah H. Meghani

Authors
  1. Suzanne L. Walker
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  2. Kristin Levoy
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  3. Salimah H. Meghani
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Contributions

Dr. Meghani contributed to the study conception, design, data collection, data analysis, supervision, and writing and revisions. Dr. Walker contributed to data analysis and initial manuscript development and revisions. Dr. LeVoy contributed to data analysis, manuscript writing and revisions.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Suzanne L. Walker.

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Ethics approval

The study was approved by the University of Pennsylvania Institutional Review Board (IRB# 823602).

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Not applicable.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Walker, S.L., Levoy, K. & Meghani, S.H. Use of complementary and integrative health in cancer pain management among patients undergoing cancer treatments: a qualitative descriptive study. Support Care Cancer 30, 5147–5156 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-022-06928-4

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