Validity and Reliability of Behavioral Pain Scale in Patients With Low Level of Consciousness Due to Head Trauma Hospitalized in Intensive Care Unit

BACKGROUND: Estimating pain in patients of intensive care unit (ICU) is essential, but because of their special situation, verbal scales cannot be used. Therefore, to estimate the level of pain, behavioral pain scale was developed by Payen in 2001. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of behavioral pain scale in patients with low level of consciousness due to head trauma hospitalized in ICU. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This descriptive prospective study was performed in Yazd in 2013. In this study, fifty patients, including thirteen women and thirty seven men, were involved. To collect the data a questionnaire including demographic and Glasgow coma scale (GCS) information as well as a list of behavioral pain scale (BPS) were used. SPSS software (version 18) was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in reliability proving of average score of BPS recorded by two day and night assessors (P > 5). Cronbach’s alpha was 85 for painful procedures and 76 for non-painful procedures. In addition, known groups’ technique (painful and non-painful procedures) was used to assess validity. The average scores were 7.75 during painful procedures and 3.28 during non-painful procedures (P = 0.001). The results stated that BPS scores during these two procedures were significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: BPS in patients with low level of consciousness due to head trauma has strong reliability and validity. Therefore, this scale can be used for patients hospitalized in ICU to assess the level of pain.