Controlling Cancer Pain without Medication
Cancer pain can affect all parts of a patient’s life and can impact their caregivers as well. Tamara Somers, PhD, helps patients develop strategies and skills for pain management to help them cope with their pain. And it’s not just about helping them increase their quality of life and decrease their stress, as “patients that have less pain may be more likely to adhere to their treatment recommendations or increase overall healthy behaviors, which can improve outcomes.” But what if a patient lives in a rural area far from a medical center? What if they’ve already missed too much work during treatment or spent too much time away from family? Or they’re in too much pain to travel? That’s why Dr. Somers is helping to pioneer the use of mobile health technology to deliver these interventions. Her American Cancer Society-funded study was one of the first (if not the first) to use video conferencing to reach patients who may not be able to visit a medical center to receive in-person treatment. Dr. Somers is a Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University.