title: Development and testing of a computerized pain body map in patients with advanced cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pain localization is an important part of pain assessment. Development of pain tools for self-report should include expert and patient input, and patient testing in large samples.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To develop a computerized pain body map (CPBM) for use in patients with advanced cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three studies were conducted: 1) an international expert survey and a pilot study guiding the contents and layout of the CPBM, 2) clinical testing in an international symptom assessment study in eight countries and 17 centers (N = 533), and 3) comparing patient pain markings on computer and paper body maps (N = 92).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study 1: 22 pain experts and 28 patients participated. A CPBM with anterior and posterior whole body views was developed for marking pain locations, supplemented by pain intensity ratings for each location. Study 2: 533 patients (286 male, 247 female, mean age 62 years) participated; 80% received pain medication and 81% had metastatic disease. Eighty-five percent completed CPBM as intended. Mean ± SD number of marked pain locations was 1.8 ± 1.2. Aberrant markings (15%) were mostly related to software problems. No differences were found regarding age, gender, cognitive/physical performance, or previous computer experience. Study 3: 70% of the patients had identical markings on the computer and paper maps. Only four patients had completely different markings on the two maps.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This first version of CPBM was well accepted by patients with advanced cancer. However, several areas for improvement were revealed, providing a basis for the development of the next version, which is subject to further international testing.
authors.affiliation: European Palliative Care Research Centre, Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Ellen Anna Andreassen
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Jaatun
authors.affiliation: European Palliative Care Research Centre, Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Regional Centre for Excellence in Palliative Care, South Eastern Norway, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: marianne.j.hjermstad@ntnu.no.
authors.forename: Marianne Jensen
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hjermstad
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer and Information Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Verdande Technology AS, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Odd Erik
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Gundersen
authors.affiliation: European Palliative Care Research Centre, Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Research Centre for Health Promotion and Resources, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Line
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oldervoll
authors.affiliation: European Palliative Care Research Centre, Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Oncology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Stein
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaasa
authors.affiliation: European Palliative Care Research Centre, Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Regional Centre of Excellence for Palliative Care, Western Norway, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Dagny Faksvåg
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Haugen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012984:Software; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Advanced cancer; computer technology; computers; pain body map; patient-reported outcomes; symptom assessment