title: Utility of numerical and visual analog scales for evaluating the post-operative pain in rural patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Visual analog scales (VAS) and numeric analog scales (NAS) are used to assess post-operative pain, but few studies indicate their usefulness in rural illiterate population in India.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to 1) Compare the impact of literacy on the ability to indicate pain rating on VAS and NAS in post-operative rural patients. 2) Assess the level of agreement between the pain scales.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross sectional, hospital based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Informed consent was obtained from patients prior to undergoing surgical procedures in a teaching hospital. Post surgery, patients who were conscious and coherent, were asked to rate pain on both VAS and NAS. The pain ratings were obtained within 24 hours of surgery and within 5 minutes of each other.
  
  
  METHODS
  Percentages, chi square test, regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 105 patients participated in the study. 43 (41%) of the sample was illiterate. 82 (78.1%) were able to rate pain on VAS while 81 (77.1%) were able to rate pain on NAS. There was no significant association between pain ratings and type of surgery, duration of surgery and nature of anaesthesia. In multivariate analysis, age, sex and literacy had no significant association with the ability to rate pain on VAS (P value 0.652, 0.967, 0.328 respectively). Similarly, no significant association was obtained between age, sex and literacy and ability to rate pain on NAS (P value 0.713, 0.405, 0.875 respectively). Correlation coefficient between the scales was 0.693.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VAS and NAS can be used interchangeably in Indian rural population as post-operative pain assessment tools irrespective of literacy status.
authors: Department of Anaesthesia, Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagnur, Karimnagar, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors: Nikhil
authors: N
authors: Mudgalkar
authors: Samir D
authors: SD
authors: Bele
authors: Sameer
authors: S
authors: Valsangkar
authors: Trupti N
authors: TN
authors: Bodhare
authors: Mahipal
authors: M
authors: Gorre
keywords: Illiteracy; numerical analog scale; pain assessment; post-operative; rural; visual analog scale