title: Epidemiology of prehospital pain: an opportunity for improvement.
abstract: This retrospective, electronic patient care record review examined a consecutive sample of patients presenting with pain to the metropolitan region of Ambulance Victoria over a period of 12&emsp14;months in 2008. The majority of patients did not achieve clinically significant pain reduction, but did achieve some pain relief while in ambulance care. Those with the most severe pain had pain reduction that was clinically significant. Further research is needed to provide optimal pain relief in the prehospital setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. paul.jennings@monash.edu
authors.forename: Paul Andrew
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Jennings
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bernard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000552:Ambulances; D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014739:Victoria
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics