Parental perceptions of pain and treatment adherence in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)

This study will look at whether parent-level factors relate to treatment adherence in children with JIA. We expect that parents who cope by avoiding things, have negative feelings about pain and medication, have little knowledge of pain-management, and score higher on fear of pain and pain catastrophizing scales will have children who are less adherent to their treatment plan.

Parents of children with JIA will be recruited via social media with the help of Cassie & Friends [33]. All families in Canada with a child under the age of 18 who has been diagnosed with JIA will be eligible. After agreeing to participate, parents will fill out online questionnaires about their child’s diagnosis and treatment, adherence, coping, self-efficacy, fear of pain, catastrophizing, and their own knowledge and attitudes regarding pain. Some of the participants will also be interviewed to better understand the barriers they face when following treatments. Analyses will determine how these parent-level factors relate to treatment adherence.