Determining pain scale preference in a veteran population experiencing chronic pain

Area of Science:

• Pain Management
• Psychometrics
• Veteran Health

Background:

• Chronic pain affects a significant number of veterans.
• Accurate pain assessment is crucial for effective treatment.
• Several pain scales exist, but veteran preference and scale performance require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine veteran preference among four common pain scales: Faces, Visual Analog, Numeric Rating, and Mankoski.
• To assess the reliability and validity of the Mankoski Pain Scale in a veteran population.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 200 veterans with chronic pain participated.
• Veterans received treatment in residential rehabilitation and outpatient clinics.
• Statistical analyses were used to compare scale preferences, reliability, and validity.

Main Results:

• A significant difference in scale preference was found (χ2(3) = 64.59, p < .001).
• The Mankoski Pain Scale was preferred by 46% of veterans.
• The Mankoski Pain Scale showed excellent validity, correlating highly with Numeric (r = .84), Analog (r = .83), and Faces (r = .78) scales. Test-retest reliability was comparable across all scales.

Conclusions:

• The Mankoski Pain Scale is a valid and reliable tool for assessing pain in veterans.
• Veterans preferred the Mankoski Pain Scale for describing their pain experiences.