Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41981888›Full record

ArticlePaediatric anaesthesia2026

Developing a Pediatric Pain Curriculum for Pediatric Anesthesia Fellows in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Delphi Study.

Anisa Bhettay, Rebecca Gray, Romy Parker, Nikki Allorto, Abigail Kusi Amponsah, Brian Anderson, Lillian Baranzila, Charles Carapinha, Susan Carolus, Lionel Green-Thompson and 15 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Paediatric anaesthesia, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

25 authors.

Anisa BhettayDivision of Paediatric Anaesthesia, Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-4835-1777
Rebecca GrayDivision of Paediatric Anaesthesia, Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-4704-3705
Romy ParkerDepartment of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital and University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-4823-2487
Nikki AllortoPietermaritzburg Metropolitan Department of Surgery, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0001-9339-4640
Abigail Kusi AmponsahSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Accra, Ghana.
Brian AndersonFaculty Health and Medical Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.ORCID 0000-0002-2826-3019
Lillian BaranzilaDepartment of Clinical and Rehabilitation Services, Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Charles CarapinhaNetcare Alberton Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Susan CarolusRed Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
Lionel Green-ThompsonDepartment of Health Sciences Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0002-2950-9527
Onica HigginsGeorgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Georgetown, Guyana.
Sonya KolmanDepartment of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Nelson Mandela Children Hospital, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
O' Brien KyololoSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya.ORCID 0000-0002-2922-8610
Gillian LamacraftUniversity of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Helen LaycockClinical Lead Pain Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Samuel MatulaSchool of Nursing, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.ORCID 0000-0001-5305-1221
Kutlo MutlhobogwaDepartment of Surgery, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.
Shireen ModackPersons With Lived Experience of Pain, Cape Town, South Africa.
Israa ModackPersons With Lived Experience of Pain, Cape Town, South Africa.
Timothy MwitiDepartment of Anaesthesia, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.ORCID 0000-0002-5642-5513
Raymond NdikontarFaculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Kazeem OshikoyaDepartment of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Lagos State University, College of Medicine, Lagos, Nigeria.
Asma SallooKing Salman Specialized Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
Jenny ThomasUniversity of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Salome MaswimeDepartment of Surgery, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.

Funding

PainSASouth African Society of Anaesthesiologists
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundComprehensive pain management in children requires a specialized skillset, with a limited number of clinicians possessing the level of expertise required to successfully navigate the complexities of holistic care. The emergence of pediatric anesthesia fellowship programs in sub-Saharan Africa presents an opportunity to embed a pediatric pain curriculum for trainees, improving the availability of specialist skill and knowledge in the field. Existing pain curricula fall short in addressing the sociocultural aspects of pediatric pain identified through research as being unique to the African context, and do not include elements of leadership and advocacy training required to navigate the complexities of resource-constrained healthcare settings.

methodsA Delphi survey including literature review, iterative rounds of surveys and expert consensus was used to establish a pediatric pain curriculum for pediatric anesthesia fellows undertaking advanced training in sub-Saharan Africa. The 22-member expert panel included anesthetists, nurses, surgeons, pharmacists, pediatricians, a physiotherapist and a patient-caregiver dyad with a lived experience of pain. After completing three rounds of surveys, a steering committee of five members was assembled to resolve outstanding items to achieve the final curriculum.

resultsThe process yielded a curriculum containing 20 knowledge items and 23 skills items. Attitudes are a key component of the curriculum and were grouped into six themes. A further aspect of the process was the identification of foundational knowledge with which trainees should enter a fellowship training program. This was termed the foundational curriculum.

conclusionUsing a Delphi method, consensus has been achieved on a pediatric pain curriculum for pediatric anesthesia fellows in sub-Saharan Africa with potential to meet the identified need for transformative pain care in this patient population.

Indexed as

AnesthesiologyCurriculumFellowships and ScholarshipsPain ManagementPediatric AnesthesiaPediatricsAfrica South of the SaharaChildDelphi TechniqueHumansanesthesiachildrenDelphi surveyfellowship trainingpainpain curriculum

Identifiers

PMID41981888
PMCPMC13247617

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.