Pain Perceptions and Attitudes of Parents of Pediatric Age Group Patients Attending Emergency Departments in Saudi Arabia

Background Pain is the most common symptom in emergency departments and remains one of the most challenging issues for emergency care providers, especially when treating children. A family system's theoretical framework helps in understanding the development and maintenance of pain and in determining the best approaches to treating children with pain. Objective The objective of the study was to evaluate parental perception and attitude towards their children's acute pain and pain management, explore potential sociodemographic determinants, enhance parents' awareness and knowledge regarding pain, and provide them with practical strategies and skills to cope with pain effectively. Methods This prospective, descriptive, cross-sectional hospital-based study included 336 parents attending pediatric departments at the National Guard Hospital (NGHA) whose children had suffered from acute pain. Results Of the 336 parents/caregivers, 76.5% were female and 23.5% were male (n=257, n=79), with the most common age group being 30-39 years (n=141, 41.96%). Children showed a slight male dominance (n=188, 56%), with the majority being under three years old (n=184, 54.76%). Parents demonstrated high levels of perception regarding the potential harms of untreated pain, with 92.6% (n=311) believing it can lead to physical harm and 90.5% (n=304) believing it can lead to psychological harm. Regarding parents' attitudes, although they showed positive attitudes, Likert scale results suggested considerable uncertainty among participants. No significant associations were found between perception or attitudes about the potential harms of untreated pain and sociodemographic characteristics (p-value > 0.05 for both). Conclusion While pediatric pain assessment is challenging, it is crucial for parents to accurately and efficiently assess and manage their child's pain at home. Most parents demonstrate sufficient awareness of the potential harms associated with untreated pain. However, a significant proportion hold misconceptions about pharmacologic pain management due to fears of side effects.