Who Gets Referred? A Pilot Study of Risk Stratification and Treatment Referral in Pediatric Headache Using the Pediatric Pain Screening Tool

• DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsab117
• Publication Date: 2021-10-16T01:41:17Z
• Authors: Katherine S Salamon; Megan Carlson; Aimee K Hildenbrand
• Keywords: Male; Adolescent; 4. Education; 05 social sciences; Headache; Pilot Projects; Risk Assessment; 3. Good health; Humans; Female; 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences; Chronic Pain; Child; 10. No inequality; Referral and Consultation; Pain Measurement

Headaches are common among youth and associated with significant negative outcomes. Despite advances in interdisciplinary treatments for chronic pain, research suggests disparities access to these services.A total of 186 (M = 14.19 years old, 70.8% female) presenting a neurology appointment at children's hospital system were screened using the Pediatric Pain Screening Tool (PPST), brief, validated measure identify that may benefit from additional pain management services.Two-thirds participants (n 124, 66.7%) as medium or high risk on PPST. Risk categorization did not vary by patient age sex. A greater proportion Hispanic/Latino patients categorized low-risk relative non-Hispanic/Latino (55.6% vs. 30.1%), somewhat lower color medium-risk White (14.0% 30.5%). Three-quarters 94, 75.8%) who referred any services. Referrals ethnicity. While statistically significant, males received referrals both (8.3% 17.6%) levels (15.8% 34.5%), (37.5% 10.3%).Future should continue explore factors influencing decision-making regarding referral specialized services headache.