Development and preliminary testing of a computerized adaptive assessment of chronic pain.
The aim of this article is to report the development and preliminary testing of a prototype computerized adaptive test of chronic pain (CHRONIC PAIN-CAT) conducted in 2 stages: (1) evaluation of various item selection and stopping rules through real data-simulated administrations of CHRONIC PAIN-CAT; (2) a feasibility study of the actual prototype CHRONIC PAIN-CAT assessment system conducted in a pilot sample. Item calibrations developed from a US general population sample (N = 782) were used to program a pain severity and impact item bank (kappa = 45), and real data simulations were conducted to determine a CAT stopping rule. The CHRONIC PAIN-CAT was programmed on a tablet PC using QualityMetric's Dynamic Health Assessment (DYHNA) software and administered to a clinical sample of pain sufferers (n = 100). The CAT was completed in significantly less time than the static (full item bank) assessment (P < .001). On average, 5.6 items were dynamically administered by CAT to achieve a precise score. Scores estimated from the 2 assessments were highly correlated (r = .89), and both assessments discriminated across pain severity levels (P < .001, RV = .95). Patients' evaluations of the CHRONIC PAIN-CAT were favorable.


CONCLUSIONS
This report demonstrates that the CHRONIC PAIN-CAT is feasible for administration in a clinic. The application has the potential to improve pain assessment and help clinicians manage chronic pain.
Anatchkova
Milena D
MD
QualityMetric Incorporated, Lincoln, Rhode Island, USA. manatchkova@qualitymetric.com
Saris-Baglama
Renee N
RN
Kosinski
Mark
M
Bjorner
Jakob B
JB
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003201:Computers; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014584:User-Computer Interface