Conclusion : Systemic changes to academic and funding structures could better support eHealth tool availability and may reduce potential for research waste .
Abstract Introduction : Numerous eHealth tools for pain assessment and management have been developed and evaluated with promising results regarding psychometric properties , efficacy , and effectiveness .
Although considerable re sources are spent on developing and evaluating these tools with the aim of increasing access to care , current evidence suggests they are not made available to end users , reducing their impact and creating potential research waste .
Multi-modal distraction. Using technology to combat pain in young children with burn injuries.
BACKGROUND The use of non-pharmacological pain management remains adhoc within acute paediatric burns pain management protocol s despite ongoing acknowledgement of its role . Advancements in adult based pain services including the integration of virtual reality has been adapted to meet the needs of children in pain , as exemplified by the development of multi-modal distraction ( MMD ) . This easy to use , h and held interactive device uses customized programs design ed to inform the child about the procedure he/she is about to experience and to distract the child during dressing changes . AIM ( 1 ) To investigate if either MMD procedural preparation ( MMD-PP ) or distraction ( MMD-D ) has a greater impact on child pain reduction compared to st and ard distraction ( SD ) or h and held video game distraction ( VG ) , ( 2 ) to underst and the impact of MMD-PP and MMD-D on clinic efficiency by measuring length of treatment across groups , and lastly , ( 3 ) to assess the efficacy of distraction techniques over three dressing change procedures . METHODS A prospect i ve r and omised control trial was completed in a paediatric tertiary hospital Burns Outpatient Clinic . Eighty participants were recruited and studied over their first three dressing changes .  Pain was assessed using vali date d child report , caregiver report , nursing observation and physiological measures . RESULTS MMD-D and MMD-PP were both shown to significantly relieve reported pain ( p < or=0.05 ) and reduce the time taken for dressings ( p < or=0.05 ) compared to SD and VG . The positive effects of both MMD-D and MMD-PP were sustained with subsequent dressing changes . CONCLUSIONS The use of MMD as a preparatory or a distraction tool in an outpatient burns clinic offered superior pain reduction across three dressing changes to children when compared to st and ard practice s or h and held video games . This device has the potential to improve clinic efficiency with reductions in treatment lengths
Conclusion : Systemic changes to academic and funding structures could better support eHealth tool availability and may reduce potential for research waste .
Abstract Introduction : Numerous eHealth tools for pain assessment and management have been developed and evaluated with promising results regarding psychometric properties , efficacy , and effectiveness .
Although considerable re sources are spent on developing and evaluating these tools with the aim of increasing access to care , current evidence suggests they are not made available to end users , reducing their impact and creating potential research waste .