Barriers and facilitators of pain management in children: a scoping review

Shamsi Atefeh1

  • 1Nursing Care Research Center, Nursing Faculty, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. noor13500@yahoo.com.

BMC Anesthesiology
|April 1, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Effective pediatric pain management faces many barriers, including provider knowledge gaps and system issues. Addressing these with enhanced education and family involvement can significantly improve care for children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Healthcare
  • Pain Management Research
  • Clinical Practice Improvement

Background:

  • Effective pain management is critical for pediatric patient well-being and recovery.
  • Numerous barriers hinder optimal pain relief in children, impacting clinical outcomes.
  • Understanding these barriers and facilitators is key to advancing pediatric care.

Approach:

  • A comprehensive scoping review was conducted on pediatric pain management barriers and facilitators.
  • Research published between 2014 and 2024 was systematically searched across major databases.
  • Key terms included 'pain management,' 'children,' 'barriers,' and 'facilitators' to ensure broad coverage.

Key Points:

  • Identified barriers include provider knowledge deficits, organizational limitations, medication challenges, communication gaps, and parental factors.
  • Facilitators encompass professional initiatives, family engagement, educational interventions, technological innovations, and policy enhancements.
  • A holistic approach integrating education, organizational support, technology, and family involvement is essential.

Conclusions:

  • Addressing identified barriers through proposed facilitators can significantly improve pediatric pain management.
  • Enhanced strategies promote higher standards of care and improved quality of life for pediatric patients.
  • Evidence-based clinical strategies are informed by synthesizing current research on pediatric pain management.

Related Concept Videos

Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia and Pain Management

Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
403
Barriers to Effective Communication II01:21

Barriers to Effective Communication II

The barriers to effective communication also include cultural barriers, semantic barriers, gender barriers, and time constraints.
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
3.6K
Nociception01:44

Nociception

Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain.
27.6K
Pain01:20

Pain

Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...
412
Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids01:15

Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids

Synthetic and semisynthetic opioids are pivotal in pain management and tackling opioid addiction. Semisynthetic opioids, including morphinans (morphine derivatives), oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, have improved pharmacokinetic profiles compared to morphine. Additionally, heroin and 6-MAM (6-Monoacetylmorphine) show better CNS penetration than morphine due to heightened lipid solubility. Hydromorphone, a potent opioid, undergoes hepatic metabolism to form the active...
185
Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners01:20

Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners

Opioids are a class of drugs that mimic endogenous opioid peptides and act on opioid receptors, and help in pain relief. These compounds are classified as natural, synthetic, or semi-synthetic. Natural opioids, like morphine, codeine, and thebaine, are derived from the opium poppy plant (Papaver somniferum or Papaver album) and are termed opiates. Synthetic opioids are artificial, while semi-synthetic opioids combine natural and synthetic compounds. Morphine, a prototypical opioid, possesses a...
146