Illness and Behavior in Children and Adolescents

Two general topics dominate this special issue: cardiovascular health issues and pain.

The emphasis on cardiovascular health is not surprising given that cardiovascular disease is either the leading cause or a rapidly increasing cause of mortality in most industrialized countries, and that there is increased recognition that most risk factors - or their precursors - are present in childhood.

Presumably, a better understanding of these factors can lead to better prevention of cardiovascular disease.

To the extent that lifestyle changes are currently the leading behavioural approach to reducing the prevalence of coronary heart disease, such efforts should be most successful if initiated early in life.

Topic 2 discusses pain in children and adolescents and includes a multimethod investigation to pain perceptions and coping with pain following surgery, evaluation of a programme to reduce pain related to sickle cell diseases, and an evaluation of treatment for headache in adolescents.

Also discussed in this issue are the effects of a chronic illness on the adjustment, well-being or quality of life of children and adolescents and their family members. This area has garnered a good deal of attention related to estimates that about 20% of all children and adolescents have a chronic illness.