Oral Presentation 2025 Joint Meeting of the COSA ASM and IPOS Congress

Factors associated with pain among rural cancer survivors: data from an Australian longitudinal study.   (125790)

Katelyn Collins 1 2 , Emma Pearse 1 , Michael Ireland 2 3 , Belinda Goodwin 1 3 4 , Sonja March 2 3 5 , Melissa Day 6 7 , Lizzy Johnston 1 8
  1. Cancer Council Queensland, Fortitude Valley, QUEENSLAND, Australia
  2. School of Psychology and Wellbeing, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield, QLD, Australia
  3. Centre for Health Research, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield, QLD, Australia
  4. School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  5. Manna Institute, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield, QLD, Australia
  6. School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
  7. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
  8. School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia

Objectives: To estimate the proportion of rural cancer survivors who report experiencing pain and assess sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological correlates of pain.

Sample and setting: Cancer survivors living in Queensland, Australia, who had travelled ≥ 50 kilometres to access cancer treatment (N=692) were eligible.

Procedures: Pain intensity, frequency of severe pain, and the functional impact of pain were assessed using the Adjusted Quality of Life 8-Dimension tool (AQoL-8D) at baseline, three months, twelve months, and annual thereafter for up to five years. Demographic, clinical, and psychological factors were assessed at baseline. Descriptive statistics and cumulative link mixed modelling were used to explore pain prevalence and the factors associated with higher levels of pain at any point from baseline to five years follow-up.

Results: On at least one occasion, 84% of participants reported “moderate” to “unbearable” pain intensity, 63% reported serious pain “at least once” in the past week, and 66% reported pain interfered with their daily activities at least “sometimes”. Participants with ≥ 2 comorbid health conditions were more likely to report higher intensity pain (OR=2.79, 95%CI [1.37,1.90] and more frequent severe pain (OR=2.10, 95%CI [1.13,3.92]. Elevated levels of psychological distress were associated with higher pain intensity (OR=2.77, 95%CI [2,76, 2.77]), more frequent severe pain (OR=2.50, 95%CI [2.07, 3.01], and increased impact of pain on daily functioning (OR=3.05, 95%CI [2.52,3.68]).

Conclusion and clinical implications: Pain is commonly reported among rural cancer survivors, particularly those with multiple physical and mental health comorbidities. Critically important will be the development of accessible, transdiagnostic interventions to improve outcomes for this vulnerable group.