Table 3.
Descriptive pain characteristics of adolescents and parents by adolescent pain group (N = 508)
| 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) |
Bold values indicates statistically significant differences between the groups (p ≤ 0.05)
Continuous variables analyzed with Mann–Whitney U test or Kruskal–Wallis with Mann–Whitney U tests between pairs of groups
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)
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)
OTC over the counter
aRange 0–10, where 10 indicates pain as bad as you can imagine
bN = 384
cRange 0–10, where 10 indicates complete interference of pain
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)
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)
fN = 239 (only girls were asked about this possible trigger of pain)
gN = 242
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)
iN = 308
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)
kN = 296