Effects of a person-centred approach in a school setting for adolescents with chronic pain-The HOPE randomized controlled trial

• 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.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Neurovetenskaper (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Neurosciences (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

self-efficacy

health-services

primary-care

children

nurses

scale

youth

questionnaire

experiences

validation

Anesthesiology

Neurosciences & Neurology

chronic pain

Psychology

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)