Table 1 The Pain Barometer referral protocol
From: Early signaling, referral, and treatment of adolescent chronic pain: a study protocol
Referral option | Criteria |
|---|---|
No referral for pain | the adolescent does not experience the pain as a problem or other problems are more urgent |
General practitioner | the adolescent and/or the parents worry about a medical cause of the pain or the youth nurse suspects a medical cause of the pain |
School doctor | the adolescent is absent from school for more than two days per month or the adolescent regularly misses gym lessons at school or the school nurse is not sure if it is necessary to refer to the general practitioner |
Move It Now | the adolescent is aged 12 to 17 years old and there is no apparent medical cause of pain according to the general practitioner and there are no serious psychosocial problems and the adolescent withdraws from activities or becomes overburdened |
Youth rehabilitation | there is no apparent medical cause of pain and the adolescents’ pain is located in the limbs or back and the adolescent experiences pain as a big problem and Move It Now does not seem to be sufficient |