Self-treatment of Pain Among Urban Adolescents
Self-treatment of Pain Among Urban Adolescents
Pain occurrence among adolescents, whether acute or chronic, persistent or intermittent, remains high, with potentially serious effects on quality of life, physical and emotional functioning, and psychosocial adjustment. The prevalence of pain in adolescents varies widely, and although discussed in the literature for more than two decades, data on adolescent knowledge and pain self-treatment is scarce. This descriptive-correlational study identified pain prevalence and intensity and pain self-treatment choices among adolescents in a diverse urban community. Almost 90% (n = 253) of high school students reported pain in the preceding 2 weeks and completed a series of study questionnaires (demographic data form, Brief Pain Inventory–Short Form, Adolescent Self-Treatment Survey). Respondents ranged in age from 14 to 19 years (mean 16) and were predominantly female (70%) and caucasian (75%). The sample was representative of all high school grades, and the majority (86%) reported participation in sports, dance, and physical activities. Mean pain scores ranged from 3.0 (current pain) to 6.5 (worst pain), with significantly higher scores among girls. A gender-related effect was also noted for pain interference in activities, mood, and sleep among the adolescent girls compared with the boys. Gender also predicted use of self-treatment methods, with girls more likely to use over-the-counter medications and nonpharmacologic therapies. Number of pain sites was also a strong predictor of use of self-treatment methods among adolescents. Knowledge of the pain experience during adolescence will help guide community-based nursing initiatives aimed at increasing awareness, promoting knowledge about pain and its treatment, and ensuring safety and positive outcomes related to self-treatment.
Pain occurrence among adolescents, whether acute or chronic, persistent or intermittent, remains high with potentially serious effects on overall quality of life, physical and emotional functioning, and psychosocial adjustment during this complex and challenging phase of life. The incidence and prevalence of pain in adolescents varies widely, and has been discussed in the literature for over two decades. Pain may present as a mild to severe symptom and is often due to physical injuries (e.g., sports injuries), normal developmental events such as menstruation, rapid physical growth, and stressors of daily living as an adolescent. However, there is a scarcity of data on adolescent knowledge and self-treatment of pain. Suitable, safe, and appropriate choices for pain management may be limited due to lack of knowledge or information about resources, insufficient access to and availability of healthcare services, and uninformed self-treatment strategies. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of pain and pain intensity among adolescents in a large, diverse urban community, and their pain self-treatment choices. Knowledge of the pain experience during adolescence may help guide community-based nursing initiatives aimed at increasing awareness, promoting knowledge about pain and its treatment, and ensuring safety and positive outcomes related to self-treatment using readily available products.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Pain occurrence among adolescents, whether acute or chronic, persistent or intermittent, remains high, with potentially serious effects on quality of life, physical and emotional functioning, and psychosocial adjustment. The prevalence of pain in adolescents varies widely, and although discussed in the literature for more than two decades, data on adolescent knowledge and pain self-treatment is scarce. This descriptive-correlational study identified pain prevalence and intensity and pain self-treatment choices among adolescents in a diverse urban community. Almost 90% (n = 253) of high school students reported pain in the preceding 2 weeks and completed a series of study questionnaires (demographic data form, Brief Pain Inventory–Short Form, Adolescent Self-Treatment Survey). Respondents ranged in age from 14 to 19 years (mean 16) and were predominantly female (70%) and caucasian (75%). The sample was representative of all high school grades, and the majority (86%) reported participation in sports, dance, and physical activities. Mean pain scores ranged from 3.0 (current pain) to 6.5 (worst pain), with significantly higher scores among girls. A gender-related effect was also noted for pain interference in activities, mood, and sleep among the adolescent girls compared with the boys. Gender also predicted use of self-treatment methods, with girls more likely to use over-the-counter medications and nonpharmacologic therapies. Number of pain sites was also a strong predictor of use of self-treatment methods among adolescents. Knowledge of the pain experience during adolescence will help guide community-based nursing initiatives aimed at increasing awareness, promoting knowledge about pain and its treatment, and ensuring safety and positive outcomes related to self-treatment.
Introduction
Pain occurrence among adolescents, whether acute or chronic, persistent or intermittent, remains high with potentially serious effects on overall quality of life, physical and emotional functioning, and psychosocial adjustment during this complex and challenging phase of life. The incidence and prevalence of pain in adolescents varies widely, and has been discussed in the literature for over two decades. Pain may present as a mild to severe symptom and is often due to physical injuries (e.g., sports injuries), normal developmental events such as menstruation, rapid physical growth, and stressors of daily living as an adolescent. However, there is a scarcity of data on adolescent knowledge and self-treatment of pain. Suitable, safe, and appropriate choices for pain management may be limited due to lack of knowledge or information about resources, insufficient access to and availability of healthcare services, and uninformed self-treatment strategies. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of pain and pain intensity among adolescents in a large, diverse urban community, and their pain self-treatment choices. Knowledge of the pain experience during adolescence may help guide community-based nursing initiatives aimed at increasing awareness, promoting knowledge about pain and its treatment, and ensuring safety and positive outcomes related to self-treatment using readily available products.
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