Measures of Adult Pain

Abstract

Our purpose is to provide an overview of available generic and rheumatology population–specific questionnaires suitable for evaluating pain in adult rheumatology populations. The content, ease of use, and measurement properties of the questionnaires are presented and compared in order to assist both clinicians and researchers select the questionnaire that is most appropriate for their purpose. The questionnaires are presented in the following order: generic unidimensional pain questionnaires (Visual Analog Scale and Numeric Rating Scale), generic multidimensional pain questionnaires (Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire, Chronic Pain Grade Scale, and Short Form36 Bodily Pain Scale), and finally an arthritis-specific pain questionnaire (Measure of Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain). Composite measures of arthritis symptoms, including pain and associated disability, specifically the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales, are described in Measures of Knee Function and Measures of Disability, respectively.