The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to examine attitudes held by Taiwanese family caregivers of hospice inpatients with
cancer that serve as barriers to
cancer pain management; (2) to determine the relationship of attitudinal barriers to family caregiver hesitancy to report
pain and to administer
analgesics; and (3) to determine the relationship of attitudinal barriers to the adequacy of
analgesics used by the patient. A total of 80 pairs of
palliative care inpatients and their primary family caregivers participated in this study. Family caregivers completed the Barriers Questionnaire-Taiwan (BQT) form and a demographic questionnaire. The instruments completed by patients consisted of the Brief
Pain Inventory-Chinese version and a demographic questionnaire. The data revealed that Taiwanese family caregivers of
palliative care patients with advanced
cancer had concerns about reporting
pain and administering
analgesics, particularly as they related to
disease progression, side-effects and p.r.n.
analgesics. Older and less-educated family caregivers scored significantly higher on the BQT than did their younger, more educated counterparts. Family caregivers' concerns measured by the BQT were related to family caregivers' reluctance to administer
analgesics to their patients. Implications for a broader understanding of
analgesics in the advancement of
pain management in
palliative care in Taiwan are discussed.