883 - Comparison of Self-Report Pain Intensity Assessment Tools in Pediatric and Adolescent Populations

Objectives: Precise pain assessment is crucial in pediatric care, yet communicating pain in children presents unique challenges. This review evaluates widely used pediatric pain assessment tools, such as the Color Analog Scale (CAS), Faces Pain Scale-Revised (FPS-R), Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (FACES). Its primary goals are to provide an updated literature review comparing these scales and to investigate the clinical utility of differential delivery methods.

Design: Studies identified via a database search of PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, and Google Scholar compared self-report pain rating scales or examined a single scale with different delivery methods. Case reports, editorials, commentaries, non-human subjects, and adult studies were omitted. Relevant references from selected articles were also considered.

Results: Initially, 979 studies were identified (528 from PubMed/Medline, 451 from EMBASE). After applying criteria, 133 candidate studies remained, with 11 selected after abstract review. An additional 9 studies were found through cross-referencing, totaling 20 studies analyzed. Findings revealed significant agreement among commonly used pediatric pain intensity metrics, with CAS consistently showing high correlations across age groups. Fine facial features in face-based scales may influence responses, warranting further investigation. Electronic pain scales were as valid as their paper counterparts.

Conclusions: Tailoring pain assessment to individual pediatric patients is essential for enhancing care quality. This review aids healthcare professionals in selecting the most suitable pain scale and delivery method for each child. Furthermore, it paves the way for future research into age subgroups, cognitive age considerations, and cultural factors impacting pain assessment.