Knowledge and practice of the management of breakthrough cancer pain among general practitioners providing palliative care in Shanghai, China: a cross-sectional survey

ObjectiveThis study examined knowledge and practice of breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) management among general practitioners (GPs) providing palliative care in Shanghai.DesignCross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire.Setting and participantsA total of 393 GPs providing palliative care in 32 community health service centres in Shanghai were recruited by stratified cluster random sampling between 1 May and 30 June 2022.Outcome measuresKnowledge and practice concerning BTcP management.ResultsA total of 375 questionnaires were collected and declared valid. The median knowledge score was 11 out of 21 points. Only 36.3% (n=136) of the participating GPs scored 11 points or more, which was categorised as good knowledge. Only 24.8% (n=93) of the GPs used Davies’ adapted diagnostic algorithm as the gold standard for diagnosis. All of the GPs assessed the intensity of BTcP; however, less than a quarter of the GPs evaluated the relationship between background pain and BTcP (22.1%, n=83), the impact of BTcP on activities of daily living (24.0%, n=90), the impact of BTcP on social relationships (14.4%, n=54) and the impact of BTcP on mood (10.1%, n=38). 56.5% (n=212) of the GPs reported that they used pain tools in the assessment of BTcP. All of the GPs prescribed immediate-release morphine as rescue medication for relieving BTcP; however, 60.5% (n=227) prescribed the dose based on their personal experiences, irrespective of the basal opioid dose, and 57.3% (n=215) did not conduct dose titration after providing the initial dose. No GPs reported that they ever administered interventional treatment to their patients.ConclusionsInsufficient knowledge and inappropriate behaviours in BTcP diagnosis, assessment and treatment were identified. There is an urgent need to improve BTcP management among GPs providing palliative care in Shanghai.