I tend not to see it on other forums, or if it is then it is more of a change request that then gets to be OKed by a passing staff member.
Abuse usually comes in the form of changing things if we promote to the portal, changing everything when someone decides to leave the site, changing things so the older threads end up a sea of swears and stupidity. It is easier then to man the reports section and requests in IRC or the threads themselves rather than allow people to change it as it takes no time for a mod to change it -- things are available in the thread, in the forum sections, in the new posts list and other places still. In 99.99% of all cases it will not need any staff discussion either (my new tool/version is out can you change it, the thread morphed to discuss something else, I have a typo, can you change it to be a bit more descriptive*...).
If by some strange happenstance it did all become a burden on the staff (again it is not, never has been and I can not envisage it becoming one) then something could be considered but for now the potential for abuse means you will have to continue on with the reports or asking staff on IRC or something.
*staff members passing by will tend to change the generic "I have a problem", "please help" and "how screwed am I?" type titles to something a tiny bit more descriptive as a matter of course.