Pediatric Pain Assessment at Gabriel Toure Hospital: Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices

ABSTRACT Objective.  To describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices of health agents regarding pain of sick children at Gabriel Toure Hospital. Methods This was a transversal prospective study from April 16 to May 15, 2018. All medical or paramedical personnel of the paediatric department and the paediatric surgical unit of  Gabriel Toure Hospital who agreed to participate in the survey were included. Results. The participation rate was 92.5% (11/120). The average age of the participants was 34 years. The sex ratio was 1.1. General paediatric care givers were the most numerous (38.7%), followed by residents (33.4%). Thirty-nine percent of respondents said they systematically assessed pain. Only 27% used a validated scale. To assess pain, 56.8% asked the sick child, 58.6% the parents and only 27% used a validated scale. The scales most familiar to staff were the visual analog scale (73%) and the verbal rating scale (41%). These two scales were most commonly used to assess pain, 56.7% and 26.7% respectively. Seventy-three care givers (65.8%) agreed that pain should be assessed at the time of patient admission. The vast majority (96.4%) believed that a systematic evaluation of the pain at admission using a suitable scale would improve the care. Conclusion Systematic assessment of children's pain is not performed in the medical and surgical paediatric wards of Gabriel Toure Hospital. Staff awareness and training will optimize pain management. RESUME Objectifs. Decrire les connaissances, attitudes et pratiques des personnels de sante sur l’evaluation de la douleur chez l’enfant au departement de pediatrie et au service de chirurgie pediatrique du CHU Gabriel Toure. Methodes. L’etude s’est deroulee du 16/04/2018 au 15/05/2018. Elle etait transversale prospective aupres du personnel de la pediatrie medicale et chirurgicale du CHU Gabriel Toure. Ont ete inclus tous les personnels medical ou paramedical ayant accepte de repondre au questionnaire etabli pour l’etude. Resultats Le taux de participation a ete de 92,5 % (111/120). L’âge moyen des personnels etait de 34 ans. Le sex ratio etait de 1,1. La pediatrie generale etait la plus representee (38,7%) ; Les medecins inscrits au diplome d’etudes specialisees (DES) etaient les plus nombreux (33,4%). La douleur etait toujours evaluee par 38,8% des personnels et 27 % utilisaient une echelle validee. L’echelle visuelle analogique (EVA) etait connue par 81 agents (73%) et utilisee par 61,3% d’entre eux. Pour 73 agents (65,8%), l’evaluation de la douleur devait etre realisee des l’arrivee. La grande majorite (96,4%) ont estime qu’une evaluation systematique de la douleur a l’admission de l’enfant par une echelle adaptee ameliorerait la prise en charge. Conclusion. Bien qu’indispensable a la prise en charge de la douleur, l’evaluation n’est pas systematique dans les services de pediatrie medicale et chirurgicale du CHU Gabriel Toure.