title: Pediatric chronic pain and health-related quality of life.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of children and adolescents with chronic pain. Sixty-nine participants (53 girls and 16 boys, 8-18 years old) were recruited, along with their caregivers, from an outpatient pain management clinic. Participants completed questionnaires regarding the child's pain intensity and HRQOL (physical, emotional, social, and school functioning). Findings indicated that children with chronic pain report significantly lower HRQOL scores compared to population-based normative data and data of children with other chronic illnesses. Lower levels of pain were associated with higher HRQOL scores. In addition to targeting pain management, interventions focused on emotional health are necessary to enhance health outcomes for children with chronic pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care Medicine, Pediatric Pain Management Clinic, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90027-6062, USA. jgold@chla.usc.edu
authors.forename: Jeffrey Ira
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.forename: Alexis Kant
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Yetwin
authors.forename: Nicole Eva
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Mahrer
authors.forename: Melissa Catherine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.forename: Anya T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: Stephanie Naso
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Michael Henry
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Joseph
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D002666:Psychology, Child; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires