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Table 3 Descriptive pain characteristics of adolescents and parents by adolescent pain group (N = 508)

From: Pain and health-related quality of life in adolescents and the mediating role of self-esteem and self-efficacy: a cross-sectional study including adolescents and parents

 

Total (N = 508)

No pain (n = 124)

Pain < 3 months (n = 236)

Persistent pain (n = 148)

p value

Adolescent characteristics

     

Pain worst, median (min, max)a

3.0 (0.0, 10.0)

0.0 (0.0, 10.0)

3.0 (0.0,9.0)

5.0 (0.0, 10.0)

< .0011,2,3

Pain least, median (min, max)a

0.0 (0.0, 8.0)

0.0 (0.0, 5.0)

1.0 (0.0, 8.0)

1.0 (0.0, 6.0)

< .0011,2

Pain average, median (min, max)a

2.0 (0.0, 10.0)

0.0 (0.0, 3.0)

2 (1.0, 10.0)

3 (1.0, 9.0)

< .0011,2,3

Pain interference on activity, median (min, max)b,c

1.3 (0.0, 10.0)

 

1.0 (0.0, 10.0)

1.7 (0.0, 9.0)

< .0013

Pain interference on emotions, median (min, max)b,c

1.2 (0.0, 9.2)

 

1.0 (0.0, 9.0)

1.4 (0.0, 9.2)

.0023

Pain frequency, N (%)b,d

    

< .0013

 Seldom

159 (41.4)

 

148 (62.7)

11 (7.4)

 

 Sometimes

90 (23.4)

 

49 (20.8)

41 (27.7)

 

 Often

135 (35.2)

 

39 (16.5)

96 (64.9)

 

Self-perceived triggers of painb,e

     

 Emotions

78 (20.3)

 

44 (18.6)

34 (23.0)

.305

 School

97 (25.3)

 

52 (22.0)

45 (30.4)

.066

 Lack of sleep

99 (25.8)

 

59 (25.0)

40 (27.0)

.659

 Cold/illness

58 (15.1)

 

45 (19.1)

13 (8.8)

.0063

 Digital technology use

50 (13.0)

 

28 (11.9)

22 (14.9)

.395

 Loneliness

115 (29.9)

 

58 (24.6)

57 (38.5)

.0043

 Sport/physical activities

33 (8.6)

 

18 (7.6)

15 (10.1)

.393

 Menstruationf

85 (35.6)

 

51 (36.2)

34 (34.7)

.815

 Other

200 (52.1)

 

115 (48.7)

85 (57.4)

.097

Family members having pain, N (%)

    

< .0012,3

 Yes

154 (30.4)

26 (21.1)

63 (26.7)

65 (43.9)

 

 Do not know

198 (39.1)

44 (35.8)

100 (42.4)

54 (36.5)

 

 No

155 (30.6)

53 (43.1)

73 (30.9)

29 (19.6)

 

OTC analgesic intake during the last 4 weeks, N (%)

    

.0011,2

 Yes

242 (47.7)

41 (33.3)

118 (50.0)

83 (56.1)

 

 No

265 (52.3)

82 (66.7)

118 (50.0)

65 (43.9)

 

Frequency of OTC analgesic intake, N (%)g,h

    

.674

 Every week

48 (19.8)

7 (17.1)

22 (18.6)

19 (22.9)

 

 Less often than every week

194 (80.2)

34 (82.9)

96 (81.4)

64 (77.1)

 

Parent characteristics

     

Pain worst, median (min, max)a

2.0 (0.0, 10.0)

1.0 (0.0, 10.0)

2.0 (0.0, 10.0)

2.0 (0.0, 9.0)

.138

Pain least, median (min, max)a

0.0 (0.0, 9.0)

0.0 (0.0, 5.0)

0.0 (0.0, 9.0)

0.0 (0.0, 9.0)

.529

Pain on average, median (min, max)a

1.0 (0.0, 10.0)

1.0 (0.0, 9.0)

1.0 (0.0, 9.0)

1.0 (0.0, 6.0)

.692

Pain interference on activity, median (min, max)c,i

0.7 (0.0, 10.0)

0.3 (0.0, 9.0)

0.7 (0.0, 10.0)

0.7 (0.0, 8.0)

.518

Pain interference on emotions, median (min, max)c,i

1.0 (0.0, 10.0)

0.5 (0.0, 9.0)

1.0 (0.0, 10.0)

1.0 (0.0, 8.0)

.465

Pain frequency, N (%)d,i

    

.944

 Seldom

87 (28.2)

20 (27.4)

40 (27.6)

27 (30.0)

 

 Sometimes

58 (18.8)

13 (17.8)

30 (20.7)

15 (16.7)

 

 Often

163 (52.9)

40 (54.8)

75 (51.7)

48 (53.3)

 

Pain duration, N (%)i,j

    

.963

 No pain

200 (39.4)

51 (41.1)

91 (38.6)

58 (39.2)

 

 Pain < 3 months

100 (19.7)

24 (19.4)

49 (20.8)

27 (18.2)

 

 Persistent pain

208 (40.9)

49 (9.6)

96 (40.7)

63 (42.6)

 

OTC analgesic intake during the last 4 weeks, N (%)

    

.661

 Yes

296 (58.3)

68 (54.8)

141 (59.7)

87 (58.8)

 

 No

212 (41.7)

56 (45.2)

95 (49.3)

61 (41.2)

 

Frequency of OTC analgesic intake, N (%)h,k

    

.587

 Every week

96 (32.4)

21 (30.9)

43 (30.5)

32 (36.8)

 

 Less often than every week

200 (67.6)

47 (69.1)

98 (69.5)

55 (63.2)

 
  1. Bold values indicates statistically significant differences between the groups (p ≤ 0.05)
  2. Continuous variables analyzed with Mann–Whitney U test or Kruskal–Wallis with Mann–Whitney U tests between pairs of groups
  3. Categorical variables analyzed with x2-test. Significant differences between the marked groups: 1No pain versus Pain < 3 months, 2No pain versus Persistent pain and 3Pain < 3 months versus Persistent pain. p values marked with bold indicate statistically significant differences between the groups (p ≤ 0.05)
  4. The pain group variable was recoded into three categories: “No pain,” “Pain < 3 months” (only once, < 1 month, 1–3 months) or “Persistent pain” (> 3 months, > 6 months, > 12 months)
  5. OTC over the counter
  6. aRange 0–10, where 10 indicates pain as bad as you can imagine
  7. bN = 384
  8. cRange 0–10, where 10 indicates complete interference of pain
  9. dThe variable was recoded into three categories: “seldom” (< once/month, once/month), “sometimes” (2–3 times/month, once/week) or “often” (several times/week, every day)
  10. eThe variable was recoded into nine categories: “Emotions” (anger/disputes, sadness, agitation), “School” (school situation, school work), “Lack of sleep,” “Cold/illness,” “Digital technology use” (social media, screen time), “Loneliness,” “Sport/physical activities,” “Menstruation” and “Other” (change of weather, noise, family condition, a new situation, nutrition/sweets, nonspecific factors)
  11. fN = 239 (only girls were asked about this possible trigger of pain)
  12. gN = 242
  13. hThe variable was dichotomized as “Every week” (daily, every week but not daily) or “Less often than every week” (less often than every week, no intake)
  14. iN = 308
  15. jThe variable was recoded into three categories: “No pain,” “Pain < 3 months” (only once, < 1 month, 1–3 months) or “Persistent pain” (> 3 months, > 6 months, > 12 months)
  16. kN = 296
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BMC Psychology

ISSN: 2050-7283

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