PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Francijna C A van Eekelen
AU  - Christel W Perquin
AU  - Joke A M Hunfeld
AU  - Alice A J M Hazebroek-Kampschreur
AU  - Lisette W A van Suijlekom-Smit
AU  - Bart W Koes
AU  - Jan Passchier
AU  - Johannes C van der Wouden
TI  - Comparison between children and adolescents with and without chronic benign pain: consultation rate and pain characteristics.
DP  - 2002 Mar 01
TA  - British Journal of General Practice
PG  - 211--213
VI  - 52
IP  - 476
4099  - http://bjgp.org/content/52/476/211.short
4100  - http://bjgp.org/content/52/476/211.full
SO  - Br J Gen Pract2002 Mar 01; 52
AB  - The aim of the study was to determine whether children with chronic benign pain are in contact with their general practitioner (GP) more frequently than those without chronic benign pain. A random sample of children and adolescents aged between 0 and 18 years of age was drawn from the records of ten general practices. According to their responses to a pain questionnaire, subjects were assigned to the chronic benign pain group (n = 95) if they had pain of more than three months' duration, or to the control group (n = 105) if they had pain of less than three months' duration or no pain at all. All the subjects had an average GP consultation rate of 2.6 contacts per year. No significant age and sex differences were found. Chronic benign pain in childhood and adolescence is not related to increased use of healthcare services, suggesting that somatisation does not play a major role in children with chronic benign pain.