Pain location: validity and reliability of body outline markings by hospitalized children and adolescents.
Although pain location is an important assessment parameter, little research has addressed validity and reliability of a body outline in pediatric populations. In a descriptive study, validity and reliability of markings on a body outline were examined in a convenience sample of 8- to 17-year-old hospitalized children (n = 175). Children marked their pain location on a body outline. Each child then pointed to the pain location on his/her body as a nurse data collector, blind to the child's markings, recorded the location on a second body outline. Data were obtained to substantiate the pain location. Findings provide strong support for the validity and reliability of a body outline and for its inclusion in a multidimensional pediatric pain tool.
Savedra
M C
MC
Department of Family Health Care Nursing, University of California, San Francisco 94143.
Tesler
M D
MD
Holzemer
W L
WL
Wilkie
D J
DJ
Ward
J A
JA
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008488:Medical Illustration; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000295:instrumentation*