Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Quantifying Pain Location and Intensity with Multimodal Pain Body Diagrams
Published on: July 7, 2023
[Data recording using a personal digital assistant. Experience of prospective survey on pain in 3196 patients]
Christian Kempf1, Karim Keddad, Isabelle Jolivet-Landreau
1Société ICD, Ottrott.
Objective:
To assess the interest of a personal digital assistant (PDA) when used as data collector in a prospective survey on pain in general practice.
Methods:
Prospective, multicentre and national survey concerning the identification of 4g/24h paracetamol prescription conditions as well as the characterization of the pain justifying it. Data were collected with a dedicated PDA including an electronic visual analogue scale (VAS). It also included a data controlling program of probability, consistency, date recording and time of data entry.
Results:
3.196 patients were enrolled by 830 general practitioners (GPs). For 1.066 of them enrolled by 277 GPs, the consistency analysis showed an a posteriori data entry. However, for assessment of pain intensity using the VAS, the physical presence of the patient is mandatory because self-evaluation is the rule.
Conclusion:
The use of an electronic questionnaire permits the collection of good quality data and the possibility of a posteriori control and hence the identification of breaches in clinical trial protocols.
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