Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42814022›Full record

ReviewScandinavian journal of caring sciences2026

Opioid Use and Family Members' Experiences of Opioids in Paediatric Cancer Pain Management: An Integrative Review.

Noora Puusa, Eeva Harju, Maija-Liisa Kalliomäki, Elina Haavisto

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Scandinavian journal of caring sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Noora PuusaFaculty of Social Sciences, Unit of Health Sciences, Nursing Science, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7483-9443
Eeva HarjuFaculty of Social Sciences, Unit of Health Sciences, Nursing Science, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
Maija-Liisa KalliomäkiDepartment of Anaesthesia, Tampere University Hospital, Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa, Tampere, Finland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6501-8928
Elina HaavistoFaculty of Social Sciences, Unit of Health Sciences, Nursing Science, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimTo analyse the use of opioids in children with cancer and the experiences of their family members regarding opioids used in pain management to improve family nursing.

designAn integrative review.

methodsA systematic literature search was carried out in four databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycInfo and Scopus) in August 2023, and was subsequently updated to include studies up to the end of 2024. Sixteen peer-reviewed research articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in a quality appraisal and analysis.

resultsOf the wide range of opioids used to treat pain in children with cancer, morphine and fentanyl stood out as the most used. The prevalent routes of opioid administration was intravenous and enteral. Limited research has been conducted on the experiences of family members of children with cancer in the context of opioids used for pain management. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of studies that describe the experiences of siblings from the same perspective. Parental experiences were particularly described as concerns about and a desire to refuse opioid use, although satisfaction with opioid use was also described.

conclusionsOpioids are particularly significant in managing pain among children with cancer. Therefore, the use of opioids in this patient group should be comprehensively studied, and healthcare professionals should receive sufficient training. The experiences of parents conclude that they require sufficient information and guidance on the management of their children's severe pain and the analgesics used to treat it. The notable lack of research regarding the experiences of siblings in connection with the use of opioids for the management of a child's pain addresses the need for further research from these perspectives. More research on experiences during the different phases of cancer treatment is needed. Further research employing qualitative methods will be essential for enhancing family nursing.

Indexed as

Analgesics, OpioidCancer PainFamilyNeoplasmsPain ManagementChildHumansAnalgesics, Opioidanalgesiaanalgesicscancerchildfamilyintegrative reviewneoplasmopioid

Identifiers

PMID42814022
PMCPMC13625944

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.