Understanding how pain varies and its effect on well-being in children and youth with cerebral palsy: A mixed methods study
Project Overview
Ms. Shearer’s study is the first to address the knowledge gap related to multiple short-term pain fluctuations, the temporal association of pain trajectories on well-being, and the experiential assessment and data triangulation of pain trajectories and their impact, all using self-reported data. The results will inform Canadian health care providers about the importance of: 1) inquiring about and monitoring pain frequently, 2) identifying a need for enhanced pain management, and 3) addressing the impact of pain (modifiable factor) on well-being in children/youth. This study is conceptually innovative because it considers the presence of a time lag between pain and well-being. This study is methodologically notable as it will 1) include youth with cerebral palsy (CP) as research advisors for the qualitative study, and 2) use a mixed methods design to better conceptualize pain and validate findings from both study components. The research objectives are (1) to determine whether pain trajectories impact self-reported physical, psychological and social well-being four weeks post-baseline measurement in a cohort of individuals with CP, aged 8 to 18 years, attending two Ontario pediatric treatment centres (2a) to identify fluctuations in pain (pain trajectories) over a four-week period; and (2b) To describe children and youths’ accounts of their pain experiences and the impact pain has on their physical, psychological and social well-being.
Principal Investigator
Heather Shearer , Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Partners and Donors
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital