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Predictive factors of chronic pediatric pain and disability: a Delphi poll
Jordi Miró1, Anna Huguet, Rubén Nieto
1Department of Psychology, Rovira i Virgili University, Catalonia, Spain. jordi.miro@urv.cat
Insights
Identifying key factors like somatization and catastrophizing can help predict chronic pediatric pain and disability. This research aims to guide future interventions for children and adolescents experiencing persistent pain.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pain Management
- Child Psychology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Chronic pain and disability in children and adolescents pose significant challenges.
- Identifying predictive factors is crucial for early intervention and prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish expert consensus on factors predicting chronic pediatric pain.
- To identify predictors of pain-related disability in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- A two-round Delphi poll was employed to achieve consensus.
- Participants included professionals specializing in pediatric chronic pain.
Main Results:
- Key predictors of chronic pain maintenance: excessive healthcare use, somatization, and catastrophizing.
- Key predictors of disability: disabled self-concept, fear of injury during exercise, and catastrophizing.
- Catastrophizing emerged as a significant factor for both pain and disability.
Conclusions:
- Findings can inform the development of predictive models for pediatric chronic pain and disability.
- This consensus provides a foundation for prospective validation studies and secondary prevention programs.
Unlabelled:
The purpose of this study was to establish consensus on the factors that predict chronic pediatric pain and pain-related disability. A Delphi poll involving 2 rounds of data collection was used as a way to reach consensus among professionals with a specific interest in chronic pain in children and adolescents. Factors that had the greatest influence on long-term maintenance of pediatric pain included: Excessive use of heath care services; a tendency to somatize; and children's catastrophizing. Factors that had the greatest influence on long-term disability included: Children's self-concept as being disabled; a hesitance to perform exercise because of fear of a potential injury; and children's catastrophizing. These findings may help identify the specific items to be assessed in studies designed to predict which children are at risk to develop chronic pain and disability. If supported by further research, these results may ultimately help develop intervention programs that could prevent long-term pain in disability in children and adolescents.
Perspective:
A Delphi poll was conducted to reach consensus among professionals with a specific interest in chronic pain among children and adolescents, regarding the factors associated with the development of chronic pediatric pain and disability. This study could serve as the basis for (1) prospective studies to validate the predictive utility of the variables; and (2) the design of secondary prevention programs.
