EFIC is pleased to highlight a new publication, published in the European Journal of Pain, developed in collaboration with the INChildPain group, examining outcome assessment practices in paediatric chronic pain care across international clinical settings.
This cross-sectional survey of clinicians from 42 countries explored which outcome domains and measures are routinely used in clinical practice, which are considered mandatory, and how prioritisation varies across disciplines and country income levels. While pain intensity, pain interference, and physical functioning were most commonly assessed and widely viewed as essential, the findings also revealed substantial variability in assessment practices and limited use of patient-reported outcome measures.
Overall, the results underline the need for a core outcome set tailored specifically to clinical practice, rather than research alone. Such standardisation could support more consistent assessment, improve comparability across services, and contribute to more equitable paediatric pain care globally.
The full paper is available open access here:
