To enhance the quality of life for cancer patients, it is required that choice and useage of appropriate medications for their symptoms, as well as providing education for patients and their family members be provided. The purpose of this article was to examine the effectiveness of cancer pain management education through a literature review. From a search of key medical databases, potential articles regarding cancer pain management were retrieved. From a thorough literatures review, we found six important trends: (1) discordance of cancer patients and their families pain reports; (2) family perception regarding cancer pain; (3) family's concerns about cancer pain management; (4) family member's role in cancer pain management; (5) helpful resources about cancer pain management and (6) educational programs for cancer patient's family. Further research regarding educational programs for family members is required for improving cancer pain management.

The aim of the present study was to examine the current use of a palliative care manual, brochures for patients, and assessment tools designed for the regional intervention study. A questionnaire survey (706 physicians and 2,236 nurses) and interviews (80 health care professionals) were conducted. The tools health care professionals most frequently used were the manual and brochures for families of imminently dying patients. Health care professionals experienced [shared understanding as a region level despite the clinical experience and specialty] and [increased confidence in palliative care they had practiced without clear evidence]. The manual were positively evaluated because they “cover all necessary information”, “come in an easy-to-carry-around size”, and “provide specific and practical advice”. Health care professionals valued the brochures for families of imminently dying patients, because illustrations were very helpful as oral explanation was difficult. This study suggests that the manual and brochures for families of imminently dying patients could serve to improve region-based palliative care.

PEP (the study group of Practical English for Pharmacists) was started by teachers from different fields at Hokkaido Pharmaceutical University, and has been offering English conversation class for local pharmacists. As with its turning point of three years, in January 2016, it conducted an online questionnaire survey for pharmacists all over Japan. The purpose was to find their needs for learning English, as well as to make sure if PEP teaching materials were proper enough for them. The questionnaires consisted of five areas: current working situation in terms of using English; self-evaluation for their attitudes towards English-speaking customers/ patients; their preference in learning English; their foresight into the English-related situation around their job; and evaluation on PEP sample materials. Participants were 220 pharmacists at work who were interested in learning English. They were divided into two groups (Yes-group and No-group) according to the answer to the question of whether they, as a pharmacist, thought it necessary to learn English or not. The groups were compared with each other within each of the five areas mentioned above. The results showed the overall illustrations of the pharmacists today and positive evaluation for a PEP material. Most importantly, however, contrastive difference between Yes-No groups for the type of English needed was revealed (p<0.01). This was interpreted as an evidence that No-group just have a naive intention to learn English, while Yes-group have already been involved in the situations where rather high English proficiency is required for their pharmacy jobs.