Sociodemographic differences in the prevalence of recurrent extremity pain in Icelandic schoolchildren: results from the WHO-collaborative Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) cross-sectional survey

Information from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study, a WHO collaborative cross-national study of Icelandic school children shows year on year increasing numbers of children’s self-reported pain. Pain affecting the arms and legs of children and adolescents is common necessitating frequent visits to outpatient departments. Under-recognised child and adolescent pain can entrench chronicity, affecting emotional, psychological, and physical functioning during childhood and beyond. Knowledge contributing to our understanding of the epidemiology of extremity pain in children is needed if we are to construct management plans that are fit for purpose. This paper sought to describe the sociodemographic differences in the prevalence of extremity pain in Icelandic schoolchildren. Data were collected from the Icelandic contribution of the international research network Health Behavior in School-aged Children. The study included all students in grades 6, 8, and 10 in Iceland, with a participation rate of 84% (n = 11019). The participants completed anonymous standardized questionnaires during a single school lesson. There was an overall prevalence of 22.4% for weekly extremity pain, with significant differences by sex (girls 23.3%, boys 21.3%, p = 0.007) and grade (higher in grades 8 and 10, p < 0.001). The interaction effect between sex and grade was significant (AOR: 0.582, p < 0.001), suggesting that older boys reported more pain than girls did. Logistic regression also revealed that nontraditional family structures were associated with a 60.1% increase in the likelihood of pain (AOR: 1.601, p = 0.011). This study reported high levels of extremity pain among Icelandic schoolchildren, which should be seen as a public health concern. Health professionals, school administrators, and stakeholders should consider family structure when formulating pain management strategies. Interventions aimed at improving pain-related knowledge, screening for extremity pain and implementing robust person-centered care approaches should be advocated.