BACK PAIN

Back Pain

Abstract

In order to assist parents to cope with the stress of their child undergoing major spinal surgery, health professionals need an understanding of what the key stressors are. In this study, 13 interviews and questionnaires from parents in the UK and USA were carried out and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Findings suggested that parents need appropriate information and support from health professionals throughout their experience to help minimize uncertainty and distress and that pain management is a major source of stress to parents.

Introduction

This study is about having a child diagnosed with a long-term condition and subsequently hospitalized can be a major source of stress and anxiety for parents (Horsburgh, 2008). Parents' role as protectors may be disrupted by feelings of anxiety, fear, distress and guilt and they may feel a lack of control over the situation (Mayes, 2009). Increased parental preoperative anxiety has been shown to result in increased anxiety in the child (Nilstun, 2010). However, if parents are equipped to prepare the child for hospitalization and medical procedures, outcomes and recuperation tend to be better than when children are not prepared. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a lateral spinal curvature with rotation of the vertebrae, for which the cause has not been established. It has an incidence of about two per thousand children, and is most common in early teenage years, when it can progress rapidly. Treatment often involves corrective surgery (Kotzer, 2009). Major spinal fusion surgery to correct idiopathic scoliosis is the most invasive orthopedic surgery performed on children. It is common for parents and patients to have severe misapprehensions about the indications and risks of surgical treatment, and the protracted recovery and rehabilitation following surgery which involves long-term activity restrictions. In order to help parents to cope with the stress of their child undergoing major spinal surgery, health care professionals need to ensure that they understand what the key stressors are. However, information regarding the impact of AIS and spinal fusion surgery on the parents is limited (Salisbury, 2008).

The aim of this study was to develop an understanding of the experiences of parents whose children have scoliosis, in relation to diagnosis, surgical correction and recovery. Qualitative methods enable a detailed exploration of these experiences and allow the investigator to uncover meaning and gain understanding.

Method

Participants

Interviews were conducted with three parents and a further 10 participants completed questionnaires. Parents were employed in positions within health care, ...