Association between adolescent and parental use of analgesics

Bjørn E. Holstein

doi:10.1016/j.sjpain.2017.05.007

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Association between adolescent and parental use of analgesics

Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 1. Juli 2017

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Aus der Zeitschrift Scandinavian Journal of Pain Band 16 Heft 1

In this issue of the Scandinavian Journal of Pain, Synva Nesheim Hasseleid and co-workers [1] report findings from a study on an important yet understudied issue: medicine use among adolescents. The purpose of this interesting study was, in a large, representative study population, to examine whether there is an association between adolescent and parental use of nonprescription analgesics. The paper provides new knowledge that improves understanding and management of pain.

1 Pain and medicine use is common among adolescents

Adolescence is often considered as a life-stage without serious health problems but this is not true. For example, the prevalence of pain – in particular headache – is high among adolescents: Approximately 54% of European adolescents report having headache at least once a month [2]. A large proportion of these adolescents report recurrent pain and pain in several parts of the body every month [2,3]. In Norway, 15% of all 15-year-olds report headache more than weekly [4]. The Study by Hasseleid et al. confirms that headache is the most prevalent pain and that 20% of the participating adolescents have suffered from musculoskeletal pain (neck, back, arms, shoulders, knee, feet) during the past two weeks. Eighteen percent of adolescents have used non-prescription analgesics during the past four weeks. It is a virtue of the study by Hasseleid et al. to draw our attention to these important public health issues.

The study also documents that headache is the main driver of use of non-prescription analgesics: 34% of adolescents with headache used non-prescription analgesics versus 19% with other pain. Use of non-prescription analgesics may be an appropriate way to treat pain but as the authors underline, the use of these medicines is not without risk and excessive use may lead to adverse effects. Because of these risks it is important to understand the processes which lead to medicine use behaviour.

2 Connection between parents’ and adolescents’ use of analgesics

The study by Hasseleid et al. makes an important contribution because of their careful analysis of the association between parents’and adolescents’ use of analgesics. This association was present even when adolescent headache was controlled for.

Andersen et al. [5] suggest that there are two main pathways for the relationship between parents’ and adolescents’ medicine use behaviour: A socialization pathway and a pathway related to adverse living conditions. The socialization pathway underlines transmission of parents’ perceptions, knowledge and habits to their children and may reflect a general pattern of strategies within the family for managing pain. The study by Hasseleid et al. shows that this socialization pathway may be restricted to use of over-the-counter analgesics, not prescription analgesics: Adolescents’ use of nonprescription analgesics was strongly predicted by parents’ use of not-prescription analgesics but not at all by parents’ use of prescription analgesics. Hasseleid et al. have an interesting interpretation of this finding, namely that “use of prescription analgesics presupposes that one has received a medical evaluation. Adults who are afflicted with severe pain and need prescription analgesics may be more reluctant and restrictive regarding the use of analgesics by their children” [1]. This is an important justification for medical advice on use of analgesics.

3 Use of non-prescription analgesics for no-pain conditions

Hasseleid et al.’s finding of an association between parents’ and adolescents’ use of non-prescription analgesics appears even more alarming because the association was strongest for those least affected by pain. This finding suggests that a segment of the adolescent population use non-prescription analgesics for other reasons than pain itself. A qualitative study by Hansen et al. [6] suggest that young girls use non-prescription analgesics for reasons such as general discomfort, stress, and to optimize performance and social participation in their everyday life.

4 Parents must be aware: Your medicine use influences your children’s use of analgesics

It is worthwhile to highlight Hasseleid et al.’s thoughts about the implications of this study, namely that “these findings imply that it is important that parents are aware that their medicine use strongly influences that of their children. Furthermore, the findings underline the importance of health services improving information about this association to parents and adolescents and also working on prophylactic strategies focusing on adolescents with pain in general and headache in particular. Schools and school health services may also have a role in this” [1].

The study by Hasseleid et al. also shows that it is important to study adolescents’ pain experiences and medicine use behaviour, including the predictors of this behaviour and its potential beneficial effects and side effects.

DOI of refers to article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sjpain.2017.04.069.

National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, 1353 Copenhagen K, Denmark.

Conflict of interest: None declared.

References

[1] Hasseleid SN, Clench-Aas J, Raanes RK, Lundqvist C. The association between adolescent and parental use of non-prescription analgesics for headache and other somatic pain – a cross-sectional study. Scand J Pain 2017;16:114–21.Suche in Google Scholar

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[5] Andersen A, Holstein BE, Berntsson L, Hansen EH. Parental symptoms and children’s use of medicine for headache: data reported by parents from the five Nordic countries. Int J Public Health 2012;57:217–23.Suche in Google Scholar

[6] Hansen DL, Hansen EH, Holstein BE. Using analgesics as tools: young women’s treatment for headache. Qual Health Res 2008;18:234–43.Suche in Google Scholar

Published Online: 2017-07-01

Published in Print: 2017-07-01

Artikel in diesem Heft

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjpain.2017.05.007