Article

The purpose of this study is to identify the cutoffs that are most
suitable for classifying average and worst pain intensity as being mild,
moderate, or severe in young people with physical disabilities. METHOD: Survey
study using a convenience sample of 113 young people (mean age = 14.19; SD = 2.9;
age range: 8-20) with physical disabilities (namely, spinal cord injury, cerebral
palsy, spina bifida, limb deficiency (acquired or congenital), or neuromuscular
disease). RESULTS: The findings support a non-linear association between pain
intensity and pain interference. In addition, the optimal cutoffs for classifying
average and worst pain as mild, moderate, or severe differed. For average pain,
the best cutoffs were the following: 0-3 for mild, 4-6 for moderate, and 7-10 for
severe pain, whereas the optimal classification for worst pain was 0-4 for mild,
5-6 for moderate, and 7-10 for severe pain. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide
important information that may be used to help make decisions regarding pain
treatment in young people with disabilities and also highlight the need to use
different cutoffs for classifying pain intensity in young people with
disabilities than those that have been suggested for adults with chronic pain.
Implications for rehabilitation Most clinical guidelines make treatment
recommendations based on classifications of pain intensity as being mild,
moderate, and severe that do not have a clear cut association with pain intensity
ratings. Cutoffs that are deemed to be the most appropriate for classifying pain
intensity as mild, moderate, and severe appear to depend, at least in part, on
the pain population that is being studied and pain domain that is being used.
This work helps to advance our knowledge regarding the meaning of pain intensity
ratings in young people with physical disabilities. Clinicians can use this
information to make empirically guided decisions regarding when to intervene in
young people with disabilities and chronic pain.

Langue : ANGLAIS