Pediatricians' knowledge of neonatal pain: An international questionnaire survey

Introduction: Untreated pain in the neonatal period can have long-term adverse consequences. A broad and solid knowledge of pain and its relief is essential for appropriate pain management. Objective: In this study, the author aimed to assess the knowledge of European pediatric residents and specialists about neonatal pain. Method: A Hungarian and an English Google Form online questionnaire were available for completion for three months from May to July 2021. The questions concerned knowledge about the perception of neonatal pain, its short and long-term effects, and pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain treatments. Results: 1229 responses were received from 39 European and 44 non-European countries. 77% of respondents answered the questions correctly on general pain knowledge, 69% responded well on pain relief, and 59% answered the questions on pain perception correctly. The most correct answers came from the pain-relieving effect of breastfeeding (96%). The least correctly answered question was whether newborns can sleep despite severe pain (21%). Adequate pain knowledge significantly correlated with the respondents' participation in pain-related training, use of pain scale, and pain relief protocol. Conclusion: The physicians who completed the questionnaire have some knowledge about neonatal pain, but the study also revealed several gaps. Neonatal pain is underestimated and, in many cases, inadequately treated worldwide. The main reason is the lack of knowledge about pain among healthcare personnel. Education programs and the use of protocols and pain measurement could improve caregivers' knowledge about pain and, thus, the pain management of premature and newborn infants.