Physical and cognitive-behavioral activities used in the home management of sickle pain: a daily diary study in children and adolescents.
BACKGROUND
There is little information documenting the use of cognitive-behavioral and physical pain relieving activities by children and adolescents for management of pain related to sickle cell disease (SCD).


METHODS
Thirty-seven subjects (aged 6-21 years) used a daily self-report pain diary for 6 months to 3 years to report their home pain experience and its pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic management.


RESULTS
A total of 514 vaso-occlusive pain episodes (2,592 days) were reported. Cognitive-behavioral or physical pain management activities were used alone on 7.5% of these pain days, and with analgesics on 77%. Female gender (P = 0.003) and increasing pain intensity (P = 0.04) were associated with an increased number of activities used. Increasing pain intensity was also associated with usage of several specific activities.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients and families frequently used cognitive-behavioral and physical activities in addition to oral analgesics to treat sickle cell-related pain at home, and may benefit from additional training and support.
Dampier
Carlton
C
Marian Anderson Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19134-1095, USA. Carlton.Dampier@drexel.edu
Ely
Elizabeth
E
Eggleston
Barry
B
Brodecki
Darcy
D
O'Neal
Patricia
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications*; D001519:Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006701:Home Nursing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008373:Manuscripts as Topic; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications*; D059408:Pain Management; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors