Dataset Information

Chronic Pain Assessments in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Literature Review of the Selection, Administration, Interpretation, and Reporting of Unidimensional Pain Intensity Scales.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Advances in pain assessment approaches now indicate which measures should be used to capture chronic pain experiences in children and adolescents. However, there is little guidance on how these tools should best be administered and reported, such as which time frames to use or how pain scores are categorised as mild, moderate, or severe.

Objective

To synthesise current evidence on unidimensional, single-item pain intensity scale selection, administration, interpretation, and reporting.

Methods

Databases were searched (inception: 18 January 2016) for studies in which unidimensional pain intensity assessments were used with children and adolescents with chronic pain. Ten quality criteria were developed by modifying existing recommendations to evaluate the quality of administration of pain scales most commonly used with children.

Results

Forty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. The highest score achieved was 7 out of a possible 10 (median: 5; IQR: 4-6). Usage of scales varied markedly in administrator/completer, highest anchors, number of successive assessments, and time referent periods used.

Conclusions

Findings suggest these scales are selected, administered, and interpreted inconsistently, even in studies of the same type. Furthermore, methods of administration are rarely reported or justified making it impossible to compare findings across studies. This article concludes by recommending criteria for the future reporting of paediatric chronic pain assessments in studies.

SUBMITTER: Lee RR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5585620 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Chronic Pain Assessments in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Literature Review of the Selection, Administration, Interpretation, and Reporting of Unidimensional Pain Intensity Scales.

Lee Rebecca Rachael RR Rashid Amir A Ghio Daniela D Thomson Wendy W Cordingley Lis L

Pain research & management 20170821

<h4>Background</h4>Advances in pain assessment approaches now indicate which measures should be used to capture chronic pain experiences in children and adolescents. However, there is little guidance on how these tools should best be administered and reported, such as which time frames to use or how pain scores are categorised as mild, moderate, or severe.<h4>Objective</h4>To synthesise current evidence on unidimensional, single-item pain intensity scale selection, administration, interpretation ...[more]

PMID: 28912638

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Dataset Information

Chronic Pain Assessments in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Literature Review of the Selection, Administration, Interpretation, and Reporting of Unidimensional Pain Intensity Scales.

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Chronic Pain Assessments in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Literature Review of the Selection, Administration, Interpretation, and Reporting of Unidimensional Pain Intensity Scales.

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