Estimating the prevalence of paediatric chronic pain in Switzerland : an online survey among paediatricians

Koechlin, Helen; Locher, Cosima; Carlander, Maria; Kossowsky, Joe; Woerner, Andreas; Dratva, Julia

doi:10.4414/smw.2022.w30194

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-25355

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	Estimating the prevalence of paediatric chronic pain in Switzerland : an online survey among paediatricians
Authors:	Koechlin, Helen Locher, Cosima Carlander, Maria Kossowsky, Joe Woerner, Andreas Dratva, Julia
et. al:	No
DOI:	10.4414/smw.2022.w30194 10.21256/zhaw-25355
Published in:	Swiss Medical Weekly
Volume(Issue):	152
Issue:	23/24
Page(s):	w30194
Issue Date:	6-Jun-2022
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	EMH Swiss Medical Publishers
ISSN:	1424-3997
Language:	English
Subjects:	Adolescent; Child; Cross-Sectional study; Human
Subject (DDC):	618.92: Pediatrics
Abstract:	Background: Chronic pain is a frequent complaint in children and adolescents, with great international variation in prevalence. Paediatricians are usually the first-line contact for pain problems in children and might refer patients to other specialists or pain clinics where available. Prevalence estimates of paediatric chronic pain and paediatricians’ care experiences in Switzerland are currently lacking. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of paediatric chronic pain in Swiss paediatrician practices and paediatricians’ professional experience and confidence with, and care provision for patients with paediatric chronic pain. Methods: Data were collected in 2019 using a cross-sectional online questionnaire among Swiss paediatricians. Ordinary least square regression analyses and Monte Carlo simulations were applied to estimate the prevalence rate of paediatric chronic pain. Explorative multivariate logistic regression analyses investigated whether sociodemographic and professional factors were associated with paediatricians’ confidence in treating and experience with paediatric chronic pain. Results: We included 337 paediatricians in our anonymised analyses. The prevalence rate of paediatric chronic pain in our sample was estimated to be between 2.54% and 3.89%. Twenty percent of paediatricians reported feeling confident in treating paediatric chronic pain, 77.2% had referred patients with paediatric chronic pain to another specialist and more than half had at least some experience with paediatric chronic pain. Experience and confidence with treating paediatric chronic pain were associated with male gender. Conclusion: Our study is the first to estimate the prevalence of paediatric chronic pain by means of a sample of Swiss paediatricians. The prevalence rate was considerably lower than other estimates. Given the lack of training and confidence with treating paediatric chronic pain reported by paediatricians, absence of awareness and resulting under-diagnosis is possible.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/25355
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	CC BY-NC-SA 4.0: Attribution - Non commercial - Share alike 4.0 International
Departement:	School of Health Sciences School of Management and Law
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Public Health (IPH) Winterthur Institute of Health Economics (WIG)
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Gesundheit Publikationen School of Management and Law

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Koechlin, H., Locher, C., Carlander, M., Kossowsky, J., Woerner, A., & Dratva, J. (2022). Estimating the prevalence of paediatric chronic pain in Switzerland : an online survey among paediatricians. Swiss Medical Weekly, 152(23/24), w30194. https://doi.org/10.4414/smw.2022.w30194

Koechlin, H. et al. (2022) ‘Estimating the prevalence of paediatric chronic pain in Switzerland : an online survey among paediatricians’, Swiss Medical Weekly, 152(23/24), p. w30194. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4414/smw.2022.w30194.

H. Koechlin, C. Locher, M. Carlander, J. Kossowsky, A. Woerner, and J. Dratva, “Estimating the prevalence of paediatric chronic pain in Switzerland : an online survey among paediatricians,” Swiss Medical Weekly, vol. 152, no. 23/24, p. w30194, Jun. 2022, doi: 10.4414/smw.2022.w30194.

KOECHLIN, Helen, Cosima LOCHER, Maria CARLANDER, Joe KOSSOWSKY, Andreas WOERNER und Julia DRATVA, 2022. Estimating the prevalence of paediatric chronic pain in Switzerland : an online survey among paediatricians. Swiss Medical Weekly. 6 Juni 2022. Bd. 152, Nr. 23/24, S. w30194. DOI 10.4414/smw.2022.w30194

Koechlin, Helen, Cosima Locher, Maria Carlander, Joe Kossowsky, Andreas Woerner, and Julia Dratva. 2022. “Estimating the Prevalence of Paediatric Chronic Pain in Switzerland : An Online Survey among Paediatricians.” Swiss Medical Weekly 152 (23/24): w30194. https://doi.org/10.4414/smw.2022.w30194.

Koechlin, Helen, et al. “Estimating the Prevalence of Paediatric Chronic Pain in Switzerland : An Online Survey among Paediatricians.” Swiss Medical Weekly, vol. 152, no. 23/24, June 2022, p. w30194, https://doi.org/10.4414/smw.2022.w30194.