title: Pain assessment in Nigerians--visual analogue scale and verbal rating scale compared.
abstract: The usefulness of 2 methods of pain assessment was determined in a cohort of Nigerians who had pain as a symptom and were receiving physiotherapy for various indication. The English and Yoruba versions of two Pain Rating Scales, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Verbal Rating Scale (VRS) with 1 to 4 or 1 to 5 intensity scales (VRS-4 or VRS-5) were employed for the assessment of pain in 100 patients. The mean Pain Score on the 4-point VRS Scale was 2.49 +/- 0.72 for the 5-point VRS 2.1 +/- 1.18 and for the VAS 4.93 +/- 2.5. Correlation analysis for corresponding groups of patients showed a significant positive relationship between the VAS and VRS-4 (r = 0.68 P<0.001) VAS and VRS-5 (r = 0.64 P <0.001) indicating that both VAS and VRS constitute useful tools for pain assessment in Nigerian patients.
authors.affiliation: Ila Old Bodija, University Crescent, Ibadan.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Magbagbeola
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D014175:Translating