The Predictors and Patient Versus Parental Perceptions of Health-Related Quality of Life in Pediatric Chronic Pain

The Predictors and Patient Versus Parental Perceptions of Health-Related Quality of Life in Pediatric Chronic Pain

This study is intended to provide additional insight into the factors affecting health-related quality of life with pediatric chronic pain as perceived by the patient versus his or her parents.In doing so, additional insight into the subjective interpretation the pediatric chronic pain experience will be gained. The four objectives of this study will be (a) to examine further the relationship between patient self-reported health-related quality of life and parent proxy-reported health-related quality; (b) to identify what biological, psychological, and/or social factors are the strongest predictors of a pediatric chronic pain patient's self-reported pain intensity and self-reported health-related quality of life, in a diverse cohort of patients referred to and subsequently treated by an anesthesiology-based yet interdisciplinary pediatric chronic pain medicine program; (c) to assess the effect of patient-specific, pain-focused biopsychosocial treatment regimen on pain intensity and health-related quality of life; and (d) to determine the effect of patient/parental satisfaction with on-going health care on their compliance with and uptake of the pain treatment regimen.

Inclusion Criteria:

• outpatients ranging between 8 years and 18 years of age directly referral from either their primary care physician or another specialist physician

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients in whose biologic families English is not the primary, native language
• patients suffering from severe cognitive dysfunction (i.e., mental retardation)
• patients with a life-expectancy of less than three months at the time of initial clinical evaluation