Adequacy of cancer-related pain management using the Pain Management Index among patients with cancer in the Northwest oncology centres of Ethiopia: an institutional-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the adequacy of cancer-related pain (CRP) management and associated factors among patients with cancer in the Northwest oncology centres of Ethiopia. DESIGN AND SETTING: An institutional-based multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with cancer in the Northwest oncology centres of Ethiopia from May to July 2022. PARTICIPANTS: All oncology patients at selected hospitals who fulfilled the inclusion criteria during the data collection period were the study population. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome of this study was the adequacy of CRP management, which was measured by the Pain Management Index (PMI). A systematic random sampling technique was used to select representatives from each study area. Data entry and analysis were done using EpiData V.4.6.1 and SPSS V.26, respectively. Binary logistic regression was conducted to determine independent predictors of the adequacy of CRP management. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: From a total of 422 included respondents, about 67.5% of the participants had adequate CRP management (95% CI 62.8 to 72). Good performance status (adjusted OR (AOR)=0.44; 95% CI 0.24 to 0.80), presence of comorbidity (AOR=3.28; 95% CI 1.68 to 6.38) and pain history (AOR=0.33; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.11) were significantly associated with the adequacy of cancer pain management. CONCLUSION: Using PMI status in the Northwest oncology centre of Ethiopia, more than two-thirds of patients with CRP obtained adequate pain management. The adequacy of CRP management was found to be influenced by factors like comorbidity, past pain history and Eastern cooperative oncology group performance status.

Health-related quality of life and associated factors among patients with schizophrenia at comprehensive specialised hospitals in the Northwest Ethiopia: a multicentre cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and associated factors among patients with schizophrenia at comprehensive specialised hospitals in Northwest Ethiopia. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 422 patients with schizophrenia who were followed at comprehensive specialised hospitals in Northwest Ethiopia from 1 June to 30 August 2022. PARTICIPANTS: All adult patients with schizophrenia who had regular follow-up in the outpatient departments of the selected hospitals were study participants. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome of this study was HRQoL which was measured using the WHO Quality of Life Scale-Bref Version. Data entry and analysis were done using Epi-data version 4.6.1 and SPSS version 24, respectively. Linear regression was used to assess the association between quality of life and independent variables. Variables with a p value <0.05 at a 95% CI were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean score of the overall Quality of Life Scale-Brief Version was 22.42±3.60. No formal education (ß=-1.53; 95% CI: -2.80 to -0.27), duration of treatment (ß = -3.08; 95% CI: -4.71 to -1.45), comorbidity (ß=-1.14; 95% CI: -1.99 to -0.29), substance use (ß=-0.89; 95% CI: -1.56 to -0.23), extrapyramidal side effects (ß=-2.02; 95% CI: -2.90 to -1.14), non-adherence (ß=-0.83; 95% CI: -1.44 to -0.23), and antipsychotic polypharmacy (ß=-1.77; CI: -2.57 to -0.96) were negatively associated with quality of life. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: In this study, the social domain was recorded as having the lowest mean score, which may indicate that patients with schizophrenia could need better psychosocial support. Patients with a longer duration of treatment, who had comorbid illnesses, were substance users, developed EPS, were non-adherent to medications and were on antipsychotic polypharmacy, needs critical follow-up to improve HRQoL.