Development and Testing of a Computerized Pain Body Map in Patients With Advanced Cancer.

Andreassen Jaatun EA, Hjermstad MJ, Gundersen OE, Oldervoll L, Kaasa S, Haugen DF; European Palliative Care Research Collaborative (EPCRC).

Source

European Palliative Care Research Centre, Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.

Abstract

CONTEXT:

Pain localization is an important part of pain assessment. Development of pain tools for self-report should include expert and patient input, and patient testing in large samples.

OBJECTIVES:

To develop a computerized pain body map (CPBM) for use in patients with advanced cancer.

METHODS:

Three studies were conducted: 1) an international expert survey and a pilot study guiding the contents and layout of the CPBM, 2) clinical testing in an international symptom assessment study in eight countries and 17 centers (N = 533), and 3) comparing patient pain markings on computer and paper body maps (N = 92).

RESULTS:

Study 1: 22 pain experts and 28 patients participated. A CPBM with anterior and posterior whole body views was developed for marking pain locations, supplemented by pain intensity ratings for each location. Study 2: 533 patients (286 male, 247 female, mean age 62 years) participated; 80% received pain medication and 81% had metastatic disease. Eighty-five percent completed CPBM as intended. Mean ± SD number of marked pain locations was 1.8 ± 1.2. Aberrant markings (15%) were mostly related to software problems. No differences were found regarding age, gender, cognitive/physical performance, or previous computer experience. Study 3: 70% of the patients had identical markings on the computer and paper maps. Only four patients had completely different markings on the two maps.

CONCLUSION:

This first version of CPBM was well accepted by patients with advanced cancer. However, several areas for improvement were revealed, providing a basis for the development of the next version, which is subject to further international testing.

Copyright © 2013 U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

KEYWORDS:

Advanced cancer, computer technology, computers, pain body map, patient-reported outcomes, symptom assessment

J Pain Symptom Manage. 2013 Jul 12.