Knowledge and Attitude of Ethiopian Oncology Nurses About Cancer Pain Management: National Survey

BACKGROUND: Cancer is becoming a leading cause of death worldwide. Pain is a common and devastating symptom of cancer patients that can significantly affect the patient’s quality of life. Optimal cancer pain control requires adequate knowledge and positive attitudes of nurses. Little is known about the knowledge and attitudes of oncology nurses towards cancer pain management in Ethiopia. The current study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitude of nurses and determinants of cancer pain management in all oncology centers in Ethiopia. METHODS: A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted on 138 nurses in all oncology centers in Ethiopia. Self-completed survey questionnaires were distributed using the ‘Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (KASRP)’ tool. Both bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used. Both crude odds ratio and adjusted odds ratio with the corresponding 95% CI were calculated to show the strength of association. Variables with a p-value of <0.05 were considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: Only 7.2% (95% CI: 2.9, 11.6) of oncology nurses had good knowledge and attitude about cancer pain management. Among 41 items, the mean number of correctly answered questions was 20.4 (SD = 5.13). Nurses who had a master’s degree in nursing were positively associated with good knowledge and attitude about cancer pain management. CONCLUSION: In this nationwide study, the overall knowledge and attitude level of oncology nurses towards cancer pain management were poor. Nurses who had a master’s degree in nursing were significantly associated with good knowledge and attitude towards cancer pain management. Regular training and revision of the contents of pain management education in the academic curriculum of nursing education are recommended.