Interpretation of the large red-and-white visual analog scale by children compared with adults

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Anesthesiology
• Pain Management
• Psychometrics

Background:

• The traditional visual analog scale (VAS) is widely used for pain assessment.
• Modifications like the red-and-white VAS aim to improve pain intensity rating, particularly in pediatric populations.
• Understanding how different age groups perceive and report pain is crucial for effective pain management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare anticipatory pain intensity ratings between children of various ages and adults using the red-and-white VAS.
• To evaluate the reliability and applicability of the red-and-white VAS across diverse pediatric age groups and adult populations.

Main Methods:

• One hundred children undergoing elective eye surgery and 50 healthy adults were interviewed preoperatively.
• Participants rated their anticipated pain intensity using the red-and-white visual analog scale (VAS).
• Statistical analysis focused on comparing median pain scores and ranges across different age cohorts (preschool, schoolchildren, adolescents) and between children and adults.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in the medians and ranges for mild, moderate, and severe pain ratings between preschool children, schoolchildren, adolescents, and adults.
• The anticipated need for pain medication, indicated by a median score of 50% of the maximum, was consistent across all pediatric age groups.
• The red-and-white VAS demonstrated comparable utility in assessing pain intensity perception across a wide age spectrum.

Conclusions:

• The red-and-white VAS is a reliable tool for assessing anticipated pain intensity in children and adults.
• Age does not appear to be a significant factor in how children and adults rate their expected pain using this modified VAS.
• Findings support the use of the red-and-white VAS in preoperative settings for pediatric pain assessment.