How health professionals rate painfulness of childhood injuries and illnesses: A survey study

Pediatric pain management has become well established in developed countries but may lag behind in developing countries, where potentially painful diseases such as gastroenteritis and meningitis are even more common. This survey asked health care givers in the developed and developing worlds to rate pain intensity of 12 common childhood diseases and to inventory the pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment modalities in their settings. A survey was distributed online (Surveygizmo 3.0) to pediatric health caregivers who rated perceived painfulness of 12 diseases on a 0 to 10 numerical rating scale or stated that the disease was primarily discomforting in their opinion. Also they inventoried the pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions they utilize in their setting. Sixty-five respondents completed the survey, of whom almost three thirds (72.3) came from developed countries. Median painfulness scores ranged from 5 (chickenpox) to 9 (compound tibial fracture). The respondents considered a number of diseases that are more often seen in developing countries as painful. Pediatric pain management in the developing world should be improved in view of the high incidences of potentially painful diseases and the lack of (non)pharmacological interventions.

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