The Treatment of Pediatric Pain in Spain: A Survey Study.

Pain is a common experience among children and adolescents, and pain management in this population is a challenge to clinicians. The aims of this study were to increase our understanding of current practices in the management of both acute and chronic pediatric pain in Spain, explore potential barriers to ideal practices, and identify professional needs as perceived by healthcare professionals. A total of 277 healthcare professionals took part, all of whom had wide experience in managing children and adolescents with pain (M [SD] age = 44.85, [10.73]; 75% women). Participants had to respond to a web-based survey with 50 questions related to pain education, organizational characteristics of their pain programs (including the characteristics of the patients treated), and current practices in the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with pain. Almost all the participants (93%) acknowledged important gaps in their training, and only 47% reported that they had received specific education on the management of pediatric pain during their undergraduate and postgraduate studies. A third (31%) were members of multidisciplinary teams, and almost all (99%) understood that protocols to guide the management of pain in young people were necessary. However, only a few of them used a protocol to assess and treat (56% and 48%, respectively) acute and chronic pain (24% and 23%, respectively). The data also showed that a lack of pain education, coordination of professionals, and guidelines was perceived as an important barrier in the care provided to children and adolescents with pain in Spain. The findings of this study can now be used by healthcare professionals in Spain interested in managing pediatric pain, as well as policymakers concerned to improve the education of professionals and the care given to young people with pain.

A comparison of medical students', residents' and tutors' attitudes towards communication skills learning.

BACKGROUND: The consensus about the importance of communication skills in patient-care does not guarantee that students and faculty perceive the usefulness of these skills. This study evaluated and compared medical students', residents' and tutors' attitudes towards learning communication skills, and examined the association with gender and year of residency. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 492 participants (282 second-year students, 131 residents and 79 tutors). They completed the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) and demographic/educational information. RESULTS: In general, participants showed positive attitudes towards learning communication skills. Medical students, residents and tutors did not differ on the Positive Attitudes Scale (CSAS-PAS). Residents scored higher than medical students on the Negative Attitudes Scale (CSAS-NAS) (P < 0.01). Females showed higher scores on the CSAS-PAS (P < 0.05) and lower scores on the CSAS-NAS (P < 0.01) than males in all subsamples. The effect sizes were medium. There were no significant differences according to year of residency. DISCUSSION: Medical students, residents and tutors consider training in communication skills an essential component for clinical practice and they agree about the need to learn these communication skills. Attention should be paid to measuring attitudes at all three levels of medical education in the design of communication skills courses.

Pain-related attitudes and functioning in elderly primary care patients.

This study examined the associations between specific pain-related beliefs and both mental health and pain interference in elderly patients with chronic pain. A total of 139 patients completed validated questionnaires assessing pain domains (i.e., intensity, duration and location), psychological functioning, pain interference and demographic variables. Pain-related beliefs were related with poorer mental health (Disability = -.27; Harm = -.23; Solicitude = -.24; Control = .18; Emotion = -.29) and greater interference in daily activities (Disability =.41; Harm =.13; Solicitude =.29; Control = -.31). Our findings are consistent with a biopsychosocial model of chronic pain which goes beyond physical variables in an attempt to understand and promote patients' adjustment to chronic pain problems.

Pain-related attitudes and functioning in elderly primary care patients

This study examined the associations between specific pain-related beliefs and both mental health and pain interference in elderly patients with chronic pain. A total of 139 patients completed validated questionnaires assessing pain domains (i.e., intensity, duration and location), psychological functioning, pain interference and demographic variables. Pain-related beliefs were related with poorer mental health (Disability = -.27; Harm = -.23; Solicitude = -.24; Control = .18; Emotion = -.29) and greater interference in daily activities (Disability =.41; Harm =.13; Solicitude =.29; Control = -.31). Our findings are consistent with a biopsychosocial model of chronic pain which goes beyond physical variables in an attempt to understand and promote patients' adjustment to chronic pain problems (AU)

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Desarrollo de las competencias profesionales / The development of professional competencies

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