Grading of pain and anxiety. Comparison between a linear analogue and a computerised audiovisual analogue scale.

Comparison of a linear analogue scale on paper and a computerised audiovisual analogue scale presented on a visual display unit is described. Pain was assessed postoperatively in 109 patients and anxiety pre-operatively in 146 patients. Results show a strong correlation between gradings obtained using the two methods, indicating the computerised method is as reliable as the conventional one.