Assessing global pain severity by self-report in clinical and health services research

In this article, the assessment of global pain severity in clinical and hea lth services research is considered. Specifically, the focus is on assessin g pain during a defined period by retrospective self-report. Evidence is re viewed that indicates that it can be useful to regard pain severity as a gl obal construct measured by pain intensity and interference with activities. In contrast, pain experience per se is more usefully regarded as multidime nsional. Research on methods of assessing key dimensions of pain experience is reviewed, including pain intensity, affect, and chronicity. The authors suggest that global pain severity (made up of pain intensity and interfere nce with activities) and pain persistence (chronicity) should be focal poin ts for brief pain assessment. Two brief measures of pain severity are revie wed that provide practical, reliable, and valid approaches to pain assessme nt in clinical and health services research.