Patient Self-report Measures of Chronic Pain Consultation Measures: A Systematic Review

• Published in: The Clinical journal of pain Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 235 - 243
• Main Authors: Stomski, Norman Jay, Mackintosh, Shylie, Stanley, Mandy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc 01-03-2010; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Chronic Disease; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Medical sciences; Multiple sclerosis and variants. Guillain barré syndrome and other inflammatory polyneuropathies. Leukoencephalitis; Neurology; Pain - prevention & control; Pain - psychology; Pain Measurement - methods; Patient Satisfaction; Psychometrics - methods; Referral and Consultation; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Somesthesis and somesthetic pathways (proprioception, exteroception, nociception); interoception; electrolocation. Sensory receptors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Validation Studies as Topic; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Human; Nociception; Nervous system diseases; clinical encounter; Prognosis; outcome measure; self-report; systematic review; outcome instrument; Chronic; Pain; patient; Instrument; consultation
• ISSN: 0749-8047; 1536-5409
• DOI: 10.1097/AJP.0b013e3181c84e76

BACKGROUNDEarlier studies have associated improvements in chronic pain outcomes with various consultation attributes, includingthe legitimization of peopleʼs chronic pain experience, affective components of the therapeutic relationship, and reaching decisions about peopleʼs care through collaboration. Although studies have used patient self-report measures to examine how certain aspects of consultations contribute to managing chronic pain. The psychometric quality of these measures seems to have not been independently appraised to date.
OBJECTIVESThis review aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties and administrative feasibility of published patient self-report consultation measures that were validated for people with chronic pain.
METHODSDatabases were searched to identify patient self-report consultation measures validated in chronic pain populations. Explicit review criteria for 8 measure attributes were developed for this review by synthesizing information from available guidelines. In total, 58 potentially relevant consultation measures were identified. Of these, 4 measures satisfied the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were critically appraised by 2 independent reviewers. Overall, the psychometric quality of the included measures was modest, particularly in terms of evidence for content validity, test-retest reliability, responsiveness, and interpretability.
DISCUSSIONEach of the included measures assessed differing aspects of consultations, and their potential clinical and research uses are discussed. Recommendations are made to improve the psychometric quality of the included measures. In summary, more psychometric research needs to be undertaken to improve the existing measuresʼ quality and broaden the scope of chronic pain consultation measures before studies may be conducted to develop a comprehensive understanding of the manner in which consultation attributes influence chronic pain outcomes.