Self-management for pain control in Thai patients who have cervical cancer in a Thai Regional Care Centre

Abstract

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in Thailand with around 10% of these women experiencing persistent pain. One third of those are under treated and it is claimed that programmes of self-management may contribute to better managing this pain. However, self-management is a Western concept and it is not clear whether this concept is helpful to Thai people or how it might be conceptualised or how Thai people self-manage their pain.
The aim of this study to explore the way in which Thai women with cervical cancer manage their pain with specific reference to the potential for self-management in hospital and at home and how they might be supported in this activity by their family and health professionals. A single embedded case study design was adopted over six months in a regional cancer centre located in the North-East of Thailand. The participants were purposively sampled for the phenomenon under investigation. Six patients with cervical cancer experiencing moderate to severe pain, six identified family caregivers and seven health care providers were 0interviewed and observed. Framework analysis was used to analyse the observational and interview data.
The finding revealed six main themes of self-management including problem solving, decision making, information finding and utilisation, forming patient/health care professionals partnership, taking action and, especially, perception. These themes are influenced by Thai family and culture resulting in a revision self-management model for Thais is developed. The model explains relationship between two main aspects, thinking and behaving that people behave self-management. Thinking and behaving influence each other and can be changeable due to the real situation. Factors influence these two aspects including backgrounds of experience, knowledge, and social context of Thailand.
Conclusion, the patients developed their ability to self-manage their pain in their everyday life. To improve self-management in Thai patients, the individual circumstance of family and Thai culture are important factors to be aware.

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ORCID for Susan Duke: orcid.org/0000-0002-4058-8086

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