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Validity of the Visual Trajectories Questionnaire for Pain
Kate M Dunn1, Paul Campbell1, Kelvin P Jordan1
1Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre, Research Institute for Primary Care & Health Sciences, Keele University, United Kingdom.
The Journal of Pain
|August 27, 2017
Summary
A new Visual Trajectories Questionnaire-Pain was developed to assess patient pain trajectories. This self-report tool shows validity and may be clinically useful for understanding pain progression.
Area of Science:
- Pain research
- Psychometrics
- Health services research
Background:
- Longitudinal data analysis identifies pain trajectories with clinical potential.
- Current data collection methods for pain trajectories are impractical for routine clinical use.
- A validated self-report tool is needed to assess pain trajectories in primary care settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the validity of a self-report questionnaire, the Visual Trajectories Questionnaire-Pain.
- To assess the feasibility and acceptability of using a visual and word-based self-report for pain trajectories.
Main Methods:
- Developed and administered the Visual Trajectories Questionnaire-Pain to 622 primary care patients with back pain.
- Assessed criterion validity by comparing self-report trajectories with latent class analysis.
- Assessed construct validity against a known model of back pain stages.
Main Results:
- The Visual Trajectories Questionnaire-Pain was completed by 98% of participants.
- Criterion and construct validity were established.
- Pain intensity, widespreadness, other symptoms, and psychological distress increased across trajectory categories as hypothesized.
Conclusions:
- The Visual Trajectories Questionnaire-Pain is a valid, acceptable, and potentially clinically useful tool for assessing pain trajectories.
- Further research is required to confirm its clinical utility in practice.
