Cognitive Testing of an Electronic Version of the Faces Pain Scale-Revised with Pediatric and Adolescent Sickle Cell...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Hematology
• Pain Management
• Clinical Informatics

Background:

• Patient-reported outcomes are crucial for managing pediatric pain at home.
• The Faces Pain Scale-Revised (FPS-R) is a reliable pain assessment tool for children.
• Validation of the FPS-R in children with sickle cell disease (SCD) is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the comprehension and usability of an electronic, modified FPS-R in pediatric patients with SCD.
• To determine the age-appropriateness and ease of use of the electronic FPS-R for SCD patients.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional, qualitative study design was employed.
• In-person interviews and cognitive debriefing were conducted with children (4-17 years) with SCD and their parents in the USA.
• Usability testing of the electronic FPS-R was performed.

Main Results:

• Children aged 4-6 years demonstrated limited understanding of the FPS-R.
• Children aged 7-8 years understood the scale but often required parental assistance.
• Children aged 9-17 years could independently comprehend and use the electronic FPS-R.
• The majority of participants found the electronic device user-friendly.

Conclusions:

• The electronic FPS-R is a comprehensible and usable pain measurement tool for children aged 7-17 with SCD.
• The validated electronic FPS-R can be beneficial for future clinical research in pediatric SCD.
• This study supports the use of digital pain assessment tools in managing SCD pain.