Effective cancer pain management is recognized as an essential component of delivering high-quality oncology care; however, a persistent challenge in clinical practice is that numerous patients continue to experience inadequate pain relief despite the existence of established clinical guidelines. Patient-centered pain management represents a specialized approach that emphasizes individualized assessment, the implementation of shared decision-making processes, and a high degree of responsiveness to the specific needs of the patient. Health professionals occupy a central and critical role in the execution of this complex care process, yet their efforts are frequently impeded by a multi-layered and multifaceted set of barriers operating at various levels within the healthcare environment. This qualitative descriptive study sought to explore and identify these specific barriers and facilitators that influence how health professionals deliver patient-centered cancer pain management within clinical settings at a cancer treatment center.
The research employed a rigorous multicenter qualitative exploratory study design, which was conducted over a period spanning from December 25, 2025, to January 15, 2026. The methodology involved utilizing a single, in-depth, structured interview method, targeting health professionals and administrators who were purposefully selected for their direct or indirect involvement in the cancer treatment center. In total, the study gathered data from 18 participants. The subsequent analysis of the collected data was executed using an inductive thematic analysis approach, a method designed to allow themes to emerge directly from the participants’ experiences and perspectives rather than being imposed a priori.
The findings of the study revealed that the factors influencing the delivery of patient-centered cancer pain management were categorized into four primary thematic areas. These categories included provider-level factors, which pertain to the individual characteristics and practices of the healthcare providers; patient-level factors, which relate to the beliefs and circumstances of the patients receiving care; organizational or system-level factors, which encompass the structural and policy limitations of the healthcare institution; and finally, enabling strategies for patient-centered cancer pain management, which represent the necessary conditions for successful implementation. The study concluded that the delivery of patient-centered cancer pain management is hindered by a multi-layered set of barriers that span provider knowledge and attitudes, specific patient beliefs, and systemic resource and policy limitations.
A central and highly significant finding emerging from this qualitative descriptive study is that the successful overcoming of these deeply rooted barriers cannot be achieved through individual effort alone. Instead, the data strongly suggests that overcoming these challenges necessitates the implementation of parallel and coordinated interventions across three distinct tiers of the healthcare system. These tiers are categorized as educational, organizational, and cultural. The educational tier requires focused training for providers, organizational reform demands the provision of necessary resources and the establishment of clear protocols, and the cultural tier requires a fundamental shifting of attitudes at all levels of the healthcare organization to support the goals of patient-centered care.
The study underscores that while the concept of patient-centered pain management is theoretically sound and essential for high-quality oncology, its practical application is fraught with challenges that are deeply interconnected. These challenges are not isolated incidents but rather symptoms of deeper systemic issues. For instance, provider-level barriers might relate to perceived time constraints or gaps in specific pain management training, while organizational barriers could involve a lack of standardized protocols or insufficient allocation of resources necessary for comprehensive pain assessments and interventions. Patient-level factors, conversely, might involve differing beliefs about pain or expectations regarding treatment, which must be navigated through careful communication and shared decision-making.
The findings suggest that incremental changes are unlikely to yield substantial improvements in pain management outcomes. Instead, a dual approach is required: one focused on enhancing the individual capabilities of the providers, and the other focused on fundamentally reforming the structures within which they operate. This dual approach involves training providers not only in essential clinical skills but also in crucial interpersonal skills such as trust-building, which is vital for achieving true patient-centered care. Furthermore, the healthcare systems themselves must be reformed to consistently support and enable compassionate, patient-centered care delivery.
In summary, improving the landscape of cancer pain management faces deep, interconnected barriers involving personal, relational, and systemic factors. The research clearly delineates that progress is not a single-step process but requires a comprehensive, multi-tiered strategy. This strategy must involve equipping health professionals with the necessary knowledge and skills, while simultaneously ensuring that the broader healthcare systems are structurally and culturally aligned to consistently support the delivery of patient-centered care.
Subject of Research: Investigation into the systemic and individual factors affecting the implementation of patient-centered cancer pain management practices by healthcare professionals.
Article Title: Barriers and facilitators influencing health professionals’ delivery of patient-centered cancer pain management at a cancer treatment center: a qualitative descriptive study
Article References: Demilie, A. E., Zeru, G. A., Bayu, H. T., Kumie, F. T., & Dejen, E. T. (2026). Barriers and facilitators influencing health professionals’ delivery of patient-centered cancer pain management at a cancer treatment center: a qualitative descriptive study. BMC Health Services Research. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-026-15940-x
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1186/s12913-026-15940-x
Keywords: Cancer pain management, Patient-centered care, Healthcare barriers, Qualitative research, Oncology, Health systems, Pain relief, Provider attitudes, Barriers, facilitators, influencing, health
News Source: Nathaniel Bowman. (October 28, 2026). Research report: Barriers and facilitators influencing health professionals’ delivery of patient-centered cancer pain management at a cancer treatment center: a qualitative descriptive study. Scienmag.
