Abstract
BACKGROUND: Chronic pain among adolescents is common but effective interventions applicable in a school setting are rare. Person-centred care (PCC) is a key factor in improving health by engaging persons as partners in their own care.
METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, a total of 98 adolescents in secondary school or upper secondary school (aged 14 - 21 years) with chronic pain were randomly assigned to a PCC intervention or standard school healthcare. In the intervention group a pain management programme, based on a PCC approach, comprising four face-to-face sessions with a school nurse over a period of 5 weeks was added to standard school healthcare. The main outcome measure was self-efficacy in daily activities (SEDA scale) and rating scales for pain intensity and pain impact were used as secondary outcome measures.
RESULTS: At the follow-up, no significant differences were found between the groups in the SEDA scale (p = .608) or in the rating scales for pain intensity (p = .261) and pain impact (p = .836). In the sub-group analysis, a significant improvement in the SEDA scale was detected at the secondary school in favour of the PCC intervention group (p = .021).
CONCLUSION: In this pain management programme based on a PCC approach, we found no effect in the total sample, but the programme showed promising results to improve self-efficacy in daily activities among adolescents at secondary school.
SIGNIFICANCE: This study evaluates the effects of a pain management programme based on a PCC approach in a school setting addressing adolescents at upper secondary and secondary schools with chronic pain. No overall effects were shown, but results illustrate that the intervention improved self-efficacy in adolescents at secondary school. Implementation of a PCC approach in a school setting may have the potential to improve self-efficacy in daily activities for adolescents with chronic pain at secondary school.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 1598-1608 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | European Journal of Pain (London, England) |
Volume | 24 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Sep 2020 |
Bibliographical note
© 2020 The Authors. European Journal of Pain published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Pain Federation - EFIC ®.Keywords
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Chronic Pain/therapy
- Humans
- Outcome Assessment, Health Care
- Schools
- Self Care
- Self Efficacy
- Young Adult