Pain Description and Presentation in Children Admitted to a Teaching Hospital in Ghana
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Date
2015-05-19
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
MedCrave
Journal of Cancer Prevention & Current Research
Journal of Cancer Prevention & Current Research
Abstract
Pain is a cardinal symptom of many disease states and a common reason for hospital attendance. In children, however, it is often
under treated, partly due to the difficulty in its assessment. This study outlines the
causes, anatomic locations and verbal descriptions of pain in children admitted to
the Pediatric Emergency Unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ashanti,
Ghana.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 273 children aged 5-12 years. Using a
structured questionnaire, we obtained information through patient interview and
folder review on the causes, locations and verbal descriptions of pain in children
hospitalized for non-traumatic medical conditions including cancers.
Findings: Sickle cell disease, infections and cancers were the main causes of
pain in children admitted to the unit. Abdominal pain was the most frequently
reported. Pain description in either English or the local language, Akan was
difficult for most children.
Conclusion/Recommendations: Pain description is difficult for most Ghanaian
children as it requires the use of complex adult language. Therefore, in the
management of pain in this population, it is recommended that the clinician
places less emphasis on the exact description of pain and rather focus on effective
pain relief.
Description
Keywords
Pain, Descriptions, Presentation, Children, Akan, Ghanaian
Citation
Hammond CK, Dogbe J, Paintsil V, Tutu L, Owusu M (2015) Pain Description and Presentation in Children Admitted to a Teaching Hospital in
Ghana. J Cancer Prev Curr Res 2(4): 00046. DOI: 10.15406/jcpcr.2015.02.00046