Response scale selection in adult pain measures: results from a literature review

Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes

Table 4 Summary of key evidence to support the verbal rating scale (VRS) in pain

Reference	Study type, evidence type ^a, and grade ^b	Article recommendations and rationale
Olaogun et al. 2004 [25]	Cross-sectional study, Direct, A	The VRS and the VAS for low back pain are reliable for clinical use
Lund et al. 2005 [26]	Prospective study, Direct, A	Authors favor the VRS in pain intensity assessments over the VAS. The VAS data should be analyzed using statistical methods suitable for ordinal data.
de C. Williams et al. 2011 [27]	Prospective study, Direct, A	The VRS and NRS appeared to yield useful information in a post-conflict situation compared to the VAS which was difficult to explain and understand among participants in this study.

^a Direct evidence: Primary research that compares different response scales within study. Indirect evidence: Review or expert opinion based on empirical evidence
^b Grade Key: A) Primary research; compares different response scales within the study; B) Review or expert opinion; based on an empirical evidence base; C) Primary research; evaluates a single response scale type within the study; and D) Review or expert opinion, based on expert consensus, convention or historical experience