Predictors of desire for help in oncology outpatients reporting pain or distress — ASN Events
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Predictors of desire for help in oncology outpatients reporting pain or distress (#182)

Kerrie Clover 1 2 3 , Pete Kelly 4 , Kerry Rogers 1 , Ben Britton 1 2 3 , Gregory Carter 1 2
  1. Calvary Mater Newcastle , Hunter Region Mail Centre, NSW, Australia
  2. Priority Research Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
  3. School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
  4. School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia

Aims
Although effective treatments for pain and distress are available, many patients do not access them. Improved understanding of patients’ desire for help may improve uptake of services.

Methods
Data were collected as part of the QUICATOUCH screening program at an Australian regional hospital. Patients over threshold for pain were asked if they would like help with their pain and those over threshold for distress were asked if they would like help with their distress. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify independent predictors of desire for help (using pain score, distress score, age, gender, clinic type and any current treatment).

Results
Among the 305 patients with pain over threshold, 59% wanted help with pain. The percentage wanting help increased steadily from 13% of patients who scored their pain as 1/10 up to 91% (n=10) of patients with a pain score of 10/10 (Figure 1). Overall, 30% (n=80) of the 274 patients over threshold for distress wanted help with distress, ranging proportionally from 21% (n=9) of patients with a score of 4/10 to 41% (n=7) of those with a distress score of 10/10 (Figure 2). Pain score was the only significant independent predictor of desire for help with pain, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.50 (95%CI 1.33-1.70) for every point increase in pain score. Distress score was the only significant independent predictor of desire for help with distress with an OR of 1.29 (95%CI 1.11-1.50) for every point increase in distress score.

Conclusions
Although desire for help with pain and distress increased with respective symptom intensity, many patients indicated they did not want help with these symptoms. Patient reluctance to seek help may constitute a barrier to realising the full potential of screening programs in reducing pain and distress.