Chronic Pain: An Epidemiological Analysis of the Prevalence, Impact, and Trends in Children and Adolescents

Identifier:  TDX:4461

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX4461

Authors:  Roman Juan, Josep

Abstract:
Chronic pain is a prevalen! condition in children and adolescents, standing as the primary cause of disability across the lifespan and imposing significan! burdens on healthcare systems. Research indicates that chronic pain among youth has increased in recen! decades, highlighting the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the issues surrounding chronic pain in this population, including strategies for an accurate assessment, prevention, and intervention. This doctoral dissertation addresses these challenges focusing on the prevalence of chronic pain in children and adolescents, including high-impact chronic pain, while also identifying potential biopsychosocial factors contributing to its increase. Furthermore, this dissertation aims to improve the assessment of children and adolescents with chronic pain by adapting and validating a questionnaire to grade chronic pain severity. Lastly, this dissertation provides new and importan! data on several biopsychosocial factors that are significantly associated with physical and emotional function, the use of medication, and sleep in this population.