Related Experiment Videos
A survey of pain in hospitalized patients aged 4-14 years
C C Johnston1, F V Abbott, K Gray-Donald
1McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Insights
Most hospitalized children experience pain, but the majority recover quickly. Follow-up shows most children achieve pain relief within weeks or months after hospital discharge.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pain Management
- Child Health Outcomes
Background:
- Hospitalized children frequently experience significant pain.
- Pain assessment in pediatric populations is crucial for effective management.
- Understanding pain trajectories post-hospitalization is vital for long-term outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the prevalence and intensity of pain in hospitalized children.
- To evaluate the duration and resolution of pain after hospital discharge.
- To identify factors associated with persistent pain in pediatric patients.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 150 hospitalized children (ages 4-14).
- Pain experience assessed via child interviews at enrollment.
- Follow-up pain assessments conducted with parents at 3 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months post-discharge.
Main Results:
- Over 87% of children reported pain within 24 hours of admission, with 19% reporting severe intensity.
- Children undergoing surgery were more likely to receive narcotic analgesics.
- At 3-week follow-up, 68% of children were pain-free; by 6 months, 96% reported no pain.
- Persistent pain was rare, affecting only 5 children, primarily those with chronic conditions or major trauma.
Conclusions:
- While acute pain is common in hospitalized children, most experience rapid recovery post-discharge.
- Effective pain management strategies during hospitalization are essential.
- Long-term pain is uncommon in pediatric populations, with chronic disease and trauma being significant risk factors.
Abstract:
One hundred fifty randomly selected hospitalized children between the ages of 4-14 were interviewed to assess their pain experience in the hospital. Follow-up information was obtained through parent interviews 3 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months later. On enrollment, more than 87% of children reported having had pain within 24 h and, of those, 19% reported their usual pain intensity as in the severe range. Thirty-eight percent of children had received analgesic medication during the preceding 24 h. Children who had undergone surgery were three to four times more likely to have received narcotic analgesic than nonsurgical patients, although similar proportions in both groups reported moderate to severe pain intensity. In spite of these reports of significant pain by a substantial number of children during hospitalization, at the 3-week follow-up check, by parent report, 68% were pain free. The parents of those with pain were contacted at 3 and 6 months postenrollment, and 96% of children were no longer experiencing pain. Five children reported pain at all contact points; three of these were suffering chronic diseases and the other two had suffered major trauma from motor-vehicle accidents.