PREVALENCE AND SOURCE OF PAIN IN PEDIATRIC INPATIENTS

Our knowledge of the prevalence and sources of pain within hospital is limited. The present study is an epidemiological investigation of pai n in a Pediatric hospital. All children who were inpatients in a terti ary care hospital (excluding Neonatal ICU and psychiatry patients) and one parent per child were potential subjects. Interviews were conduct ed on three weekdays. Parent interviews were used for children less th an 5 years of age (n = 102); child interviews were used for children a ge 5 years and older (n = 98). Subjects reported the intensity and sou rce Of the worst, usual and current pain during the past 24 h and help received for pain. Medical and demographic variables and analgesics p rescribed and administered were obtained from the medical record. Fort y-nine percent of subjects reported clinically significant levels of w orst pain. Twenty-one percent of subjects had clinically significant l evels of usual pain. Causes of pain were variable and included disease , surgery, and intravenous lines (IV). Pain intensity was not signific antly related to age, gender, patient type (medical, surgical), or dia gnostic category. Children were given significantly less medication th an was prescribed, regardless of their reported pain level. Nurses, mo thers, and 'no-one' were frequently reported as helping with pain. Med ications and nonpharmacological methods were reported as helpful in ma naging pain. Many children endure unacceptable levels of pain during h ospitalization. Pain prevention and management must be more aggressive . Pain assessment should be approached with the same attention as vita l signs. Improvements in analgesic prescription and administration pra ctices and non-pharmacological pain control methods are needed.