Theme: Pain

Background: In children and adolescents with cancer, as well as in their parents, the quality of life is affected due to pain experienced during their hospitalization.

Objectives: The aim was to report and assess paediatric and parental opinions about the pain the paediatric patients suffer.

Methods: The sample of the study consisted of 92 paediatric cancer patients, 159 paediatric patients with musculoskeletal problems and one of their parents with the Paediatric Pain Questionnaire and the PedsQL-Family Impact Module.

Results: Young patients reported higher acute pain scores than their parents (z=-2.5, p=0.011; 99% CI: 0.008-0.013). Young patients with orthopaedic disorders had higher acute and chronic pain scores in comparison to their parents’ reports (z=-3.4, p=0.001; 99% CI: 0.000-0.001 and z=-2.3, p=0.021; 99% CI: 0.017-0.025 respectively).

Conclusions: The parental quality of life is affected especially when the pain is caused by life-threatening diseases, but it improves as the treatment ends.