The experience of conducting research for a PhD exploring the unmet needs of cancer patients in pain.

The following report gives an overview of the past year of my PhD which has been kindly funded by The Florence Nightingale Foundation and the Band Trust. The report will present a study that is being conducted exploring the unmet needs of cancer patients with pain. People with cancer have reported that they have needs such as psychological issues, practical problems and information needs that they would like further help with from healthcare professionals (Sanson-Fisher et al, 2000, Harrison et al, 2009 and Morrison et al, 2012). Having cancer related pain may exacerbate these needs as people suffering from uncontrolled pain and breakthrough pain frequently report the detrimental effect it has upon their lives. Pain has been frequently associated with increased level of distress and the impairment of the functional ability of people with cancer (Portenoy et al, 1999, Wells et al, 2003, Caraceni et al, 2004, Vallerand et al, 2007, Mercadante et al, 2009, Davies et al, 2011).

The aim of the study  is to identify if cancer patients in pain report unmet needs that are comparable to the general cancer population or if these unmet needs are exacerbated depending on whether their pain is controlled, uncontrolled or if the patients have intermittent breakthrough pain. The study will endeavour to describe the unmet needs of cancer patients in pain and how their needs change over time if their pain is controlled or deteriorates. The study aims to explore all the variables that are associated with unmet needs in terms of demographics and symptoms. This is in order to clarify the understanding of whether the unmet needs are in relation to the pain rather than other factors. The outcomes of the study will be used to inform healthcare professionals about the needs that their patients may require help with. If unmet supportive care needs are found to be prevalent, the results of the research will be used to encourage clinicians and nurses to enquire about their patients supportive care needs rather than just the severity of their pain.

The study is still ongoing and the results are not expected for another six months therefore they cannot be presented as part of this report. The past year has been a steep learning curve and I have been privileged to attend University workshops and external study days that have developed my research skills. I have faced many challenges conducting my research. These were not unexpected but being so personally connected to the research has made them more apparent. Research within palliative care is challenging and frustrating at times. However it is a poorly researched area and healthcare professionals need to find ways to overcome this to ensure that the care given to patients is based on sound evidence. Patients are willing to take part in trials even if they ask sensitive questions. Often they can find it a rewarding experience and hope that their efforts will help others.

More collaboration between researchers and hospices could improve recruitment to trials and shorten the time the studies that need to recruit and give more people the chance to participate if they choose.