Cancer pain and alcohol self-medication.
Alcohol
Cancer pain
Health disparities
Pain management
Self-medication
Journal
Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice
ISSN: 1932-2267
Titre abrégé: J Cancer Surviv
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101307557
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
12 2023
12 2023
Historique:
received:
08
02
2022
accepted:
09
05
2022
medline:
29
9
2023
pubmed:
15
5
2022
entrez:
14
5
2022
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Cancer survivors are at increased risk of pain due to their either cancer and/or treatments. Substances like alcohol may be used to self-medicate cancer pain; however, these substances pose their own health risks that may be more pronounced for cancer survivors. We used cross-sectional data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2012-2019 to quantify the association between cancer pain and alcohol use. We used negative binomial regression, with interaction terms added to examine variations across age, sex, and race. We also examined whether alcohol use relates to cancer pain control status. Cancer survivors with cancer pain were more likely to be younger, female, Black, and to have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Cancer pain was associated with lower alcohol consumption (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 0.88, confidence interval (CI): 0.77, 0.99). This association was primarily among people 65 and older, women, and white and Hispanic people. Cancer pain control status was not related to alcohol use. Lower alcohol use among cancer survivors with pain has many possible explanations, including several alternative pain management strategies or a decrease in social engagement. Our findings of racial and gender disparities in cancer pain are consistent with the broader evidence on disparities in pain. Cancer pain management for marginalized groups should be improved. Healthcare providers should screen cancer survivors for both pain and substance use, to prevent unhealthy self-medication behaviors.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Cancer survivors are at increased risk of pain due to their either cancer and/or treatments. Substances like alcohol may be used to self-medicate cancer pain; however, these substances pose their own health risks that may be more pronounced for cancer survivors.
METHODS
We used cross-sectional data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2012-2019 to quantify the association between cancer pain and alcohol use. We used negative binomial regression, with interaction terms added to examine variations across age, sex, and race. We also examined whether alcohol use relates to cancer pain control status.
RESULTS
Cancer survivors with cancer pain were more likely to be younger, female, Black, and to have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Cancer pain was associated with lower alcohol consumption (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 0.88, confidence interval (CI): 0.77, 0.99). This association was primarily among people 65 and older, women, and white and Hispanic people. Cancer pain control status was not related to alcohol use.
CONCLUSIONS
Lower alcohol use among cancer survivors with pain has many possible explanations, including several alternative pain management strategies or a decrease in social engagement. Our findings of racial and gender disparities in cancer pain are consistent with the broader evidence on disparities in pain.
IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS
Cancer pain management for marginalized groups should be improved. Healthcare providers should screen cancer survivors for both pain and substance use, to prevent unhealthy self-medication behaviors.
Identifiants
pubmed: 35567710
doi: 10.1007/s11764-022-01215-x
pii: 10.1007/s11764-022-01215-x
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
1561-1570Informations de copyright
© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
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