Pediatric pain prevalence and parents' attitudes at a cancer hospital in Jordan

J Pain Symptom Manage. 2006 May;31(5):440-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2005.09.003.

Abstract

There has been little research on implementation of pediatric pain programs. These studies are part of a project to develop such a program for the King Hussein Cancer Centre in Jordan. Study 1 captured information on pain prevalence in 35 children using chart reviews and parent/child interviews to establish baseline pain burden. Forty-seven percent of children had pain at the time of interview; 11% had "a lot" of pain and only 22% received analgesics. Twenty-two parents were interviewed in Study 2 to identify attitudes toward pain management. Thematic analysis revealed six themes: 1) pain can and should be managed; 2) God's will; 3) parent's worst pain was emotional pain due to child's diagnosis; 4) belief that their presence could ameliorate their child's pain; 5) desire for shared decision making; and 6) the child's responsibility to express pain. These study results were used to inform the action research approach in the overall project.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Attitude to Health*
  • Cancer Care Facilities / statistics & numerical data
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cultural Characteristics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Jordan / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Neoplasms / psychology
  • Pain / epidemiology*
  • Pain / psychology*
  • Parents / psychology*
  • Prevalence