Assessment of the impact of pain and impairments associated with spinal cord injuries.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the adequacy of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI) for assessing pain impact after spinal cord injury (SCI) and to determine whether the impact of pain can be separated from other consequences of SCI.


METHODS
Postal survey.


METHODS
General community.


METHODS
Of the 159 subjects contacted who experienced chronic pain, 120 (75.5%) participated.


METHODS
Subjects were mailed the original MPI and a set of additional items specific to SCI.


METHODS
The MPI.


RESULTS
Confirmatory (CFA) and exploratory factor analyses were performed for each section of the MPI. Elimination of several items, including those related to work in section 1 (pain impact), improved the goodness-of-fit index (GFI). A CFA for section 2 (response of significant other) resulted in acceptable GFI after 2 items were deleted. Decrease in activity levels (section 3) because of other consequences of injury was significantly greater after tetraplegia than after paraplegia. In contrast, pain-related reduction in activities was not associated with injury level. Although other consequences of SCI may have greater impact on activities than pain, severe pain is likely to affect activity levels significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
The MPI appears to be appropriate for use in a SCI population when modified to eliminate questions related to work and to supplement the activity scale with items addressing decreased activity levels due to pain.
Widerström-Noga
Eva G
EG
Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami School of Medicine, PO Box 01690, Miami, FL 33101, USA. ewiderst@miamiproject.med.miami.edu
Duncan
Robert
R
Felipe-Cuervo
Ernesto
E
Turk
Dennis C
DC
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000523:psychology; D011610:Psychosocial Deprivation; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors