Poor Adherence, Insufficient Prescriptions, Key Factors in Ineffective Cancer Pain Management [12/03/2001; Doctor's Guide] ALEXANDRIA, VA -- November 30, 2001 Lack of adherence to pain medication regimens and inadequate analgesic prescriptions are the main reasons cancer patients do not achieve adequate pain relief. In one of the first studies to observe cancer patients in their homes, researchers at the Schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Pharmacy at the University of California at San Francisco aimed to determine whether cancer patients were adhering to the around-the-clock and as-needed pain management regimens prescribed by their doctors. "The old message was people weren't taking their pain medication because of fear of addiction," said Christine Miaskowski, RN, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Physiological Nursing at UCSF. "Our study debunks that explanation, and found that the side effects caused by most opioid analgesics were a key reason why cancer patients did not adhere to their pain medication regimen." Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.