LAUSR

217Background: Though numerical rating scales (NRS) are frequently used, a subset of patients do not understand the abstract nature on NRS and use quality descriptors of severity. We used a visual analog scale (VAS) using descriptors of “good day”, “average day” and “bad day” along a 10-cm line and compared it to a NRS in patients with cancer diagnosis and pain 1 month or longer. Methods: Eligible patients were verbally consented and completed the two scales. We asked patients thoughts about which they felt was the more appropriate scale to gauge their pain. The scales were compared by the distance from the extreme left of the line to the mark the patient placed on the VAS. Additional data included demographic and diagnosis information. The VAS and NRS were compared using two-sample t-tests or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and Pearson’s chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests, as appropriate. The relationship between the numeric pain scale and the visual analog scale is described using Pearson’s correlation coeffici...