Cancer pain in Jordan: prevalence and adequacy of treatment

Background: Despite the introduction of numerous guidelines and pharmacological interventions to manage cancer pain, poor assessment and under-medication remain common. Aim: To estimate the prevalence of cancer pain and the adequacy of its management in Jordan. Method: A convenience sample of 162 cancer patients from two hospitals participated in a cross-sectional survey using an Arabic version of the Brief Pain Inventory-short form (BPI). Results: 73.3% of the patients had pain severe enough to merit rating on the BPI. The mean of the worst pain scores in the past 24 hours was high at 7.5 out of 10 (standard deviation (SD) 2.7). 31% of patients with pain had not been treated for their pain, and the mean Pain Management Index score was - 1.20 (SD1.0). Conclusion: These cancer patients were experiencing high levels of pain, which was undertreated. Providing adequate pain management is a priority, hence more education, training, and resources are needed in Jordan to reduce cancer patients' suffering.