Computer Assessment of Pain

描述(由申请人提供)： 在临床实践中，一直需要有效和可靠的工具来测量个人的主观疼痛体验。卫生保健组织认证联合委员会最近发布的标准规定，疼痛是个人进入卫生保健系统时应定期评估的重要体征之一。目前临床上用于这一目的的纸和铅笔方法在工作人员时间方面成本高昂，而且往往产生延迟的结果。随着计算机技术的显著和持续的进步，我们以定量和有效的方式评估疼痛的能力已经大大提高，这一阶段第二阶段提案中正在开发的评估单元被称为“计算机疼痛评估”(CAP)。通过与视觉显示器的动态交互，患者指示疼痛的强度和情感影响，最好地描述疼痛及其情感影响的词语描述符，以及疼痛在身体上的准确位置。本研究的目的是检验慢性疼痛患者CAP的心理测量学特性和临床应用。在第一年，将对该方法的重测信度和效度进行调查。在第二年，CAP的敏感性将通过确定仪器在硬膜外注射类固醇前后追踪下腰痛缓解的情况来检验。西班牙文版也将在第二年开发和测试。这一新评估套件的主要优点是：(A)获得比率比额表衡量标准；(B)根据其他项目对项目进行评级；(C)可以对评级进行动态调整和微调；(D)数据收集和分析既高效又便宜。建议的商业应用。商业目标是用计算机管理的方法取代纸和笔的方法，允许在其他变量的背景下对疼痛变量进行动态评级。该软件将适用于两个主要的计算机平台(Windows和Macintosh)。正如在第三阶段推出的那样，该软件包将由医生、疼痛诊所和医院购买。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There is a continuing need in clinical practice for valid and reliable instruments that measure an individual's subjective experience of pain. Recent standards issued by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations state that pain is one of the vital signs that should be routinely assessed when an individual enters the health care system. The paper-and-pencil methods currently used in the clinic for this purpose are costly in terms of staff time and often produce time-delayed results. With the dramatic and ongoing improvement in computer technology, our ability to assess pain in a quantitative and efficient manner has greatly improved, The assessment battery under development in this Phase II proposal is referred to as the "Computer Assessment of Pain" (CAP). By dynamically interacting with visual displays, the patient indicates the intensity and emotional impact of pain, the word descriptors that best characterize pain and its emotional impact, and the precise location of pain on the body. The research objective is to examine the psychometric properties and clinical utility of CAP for patients in chronic pain. In Year 1 the method's test-retest reliability and validity will be investigated. In Year 2 the sensitivity of CAP will be examined by determining how well the instrument tracks relief from low back pain before and after epidural steroid injection. A Spanish version also will be developed and tested in Year 2. The main advantages of this new assessment suite are (a) ratio scale measures are obtained, (b) ratings of items are given in the context of other items, (c) dynamic adjustments and fine-tuning of ratings are possible, and (d) data collection and analysis is efficient and inexpensive. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION. The commercial goal is to replace paper-and-pencil methods with a computer-administered method that allows dynamic ratings of pain variables within the context of other variables. The software will be available for the two major computer platforms (Windows & Macintosh). As marketed in Phase III, the software package will be purchased by physicians, pain clinics and hospitals.