Equity and Global Perspectives in Pediatric Pain Care

Background Children around the world experience pain in very different contexts, shaped by geography, culture, health systems, and social inequities. Despite major advances in pediatric pain science, many newborns, children, and adolescents still receive inadequate or no pain care, especially in low- and middle-income countries and underserved communities. Barriers include limited resources, gaps in training, structural racism and discrimination, and cultural beliefs that normalize or minimize children’s pain. At the same time, promising models of equitable, family-centered, and context-sensitive care are emerging globally. This Research Topic, “Equity and Global Perspectives in Pediatric Pain Care,” aims to bring together diverse voices and data from around the world to better understand disparities in pediatric pain and to highlight solutions that promote just, high-quality pain care for all children.GoalsThis Research Topic seeks to address persistent inequities in pediatric pain assessment, treatment, and outcomes across countries, regions, and populations. We invite work that examines social, structural, and system-level determinants of pediatric pain care, including poverty, migration, racism, colonial legacies, disability, stigma, and health policy. We particularly welcome contributions that document inequities in access to pharmacological, physical, and psychological interventions; describe innovative, resource-sensitive models of acute, chronic, and procedural pain management; or evaluate culturally adapted assessment tools and care pathways.Submissions may explore how global health initiatives, digital health, task-sharing, and community-based approaches can expand access to safe and effective pain care. Studies that elevate patient, family, and community perspectives—especially from low- and middle-income countries and other underserved settings—are strongly encouraged. By integrating epidemiological, mechanistic, clinical, and implementation research, this collection aims to generate actionable insights that reduce disparities and support more equitable pediatric pain systems worldwide.Scope and Information for AuthorsWe welcome Original Research, Review articles, Mini-Reviews, Perspectives, Opinions, Systematic Reviews, Meta-analyses, Case Reports, and Brief Research Reports that align with the Pediatric Pain section of Frontiers in Pain Research. Manuscripts should focus on pediatric populations (newborns through adolescents) and clearly address equity and/or global perspectives in pain care.Key thematic areas include, but are not limited to:Global and regional patterns in pediatric pain prevalence, burden, and careDisparities in pain assessment, analgesic access, and multimodal pain managementCulturally adapted and context-appropriate pain assessment tools and interventionsModels of pediatric pain care in low- and middle-income countries or resource-limited settingsPolicy, health systems, and workforce factors shaping equitable pediatric pain carePatient, family, and community engagement in research and service designDigital, telehealth, and community-based strategies to improve access and self-managementSocial, cultural, and societal implications of inequitable pain care in childhoodAuthors are encouraged to clearly articulate how their work advances equitable, globally relevant pediatric pain practice and fits within the Pediatric Pain section. Topic editors: Allen Finley, Dmytro Dmytriiev Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77282/equity-and-global-perspectives-in-pediatric-pain-care