What Determines Whether a Pain is Rated As Mild, Moderate, or Severe? The Importance of Pain Beliefs and Pain Interference

Overview

Journal Clin J Pain

Specialties Neurology
Psychiatry

Date 2016 Sep 2

PMID 27584819

Citations 34

Authors

Mark P Jensen

Catarina Tome-Pires

Rocio de la Vega

Santiago Galan

Ester Sole

Jordi Miro

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Methods: We evaluated whether VRS pain severity ratings are influenced by pain beliefs, catastrophizing, or pain interference over and above any effects of pain intensity, as measured by a NRS, in 4 samples of individuals with physical disabilities and chronic pain.

Results: As hypothesized, and while controlling for pain intensity as measured by a NRS, higher scores on factors representing pain interference with function, pain catastrophizing, and a number of pain-related beliefs were all associated with a tendency for the study participants to rate their pain as more severe on a VRS.

Discussion: These findings indicate VRSs of pain severity cannot necessarily be assumed to measure only pain intensity; they may also reflect patient perceptions about pain interference and beliefs about their pain. Clinicians and researchers should take these findings into account when selecting measures and when interpreting the results of studies using VRSs as outcome measures.

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