Screening, diagnosis and assessment

Chronic pain

Brief Pain Inventory (BPI)

The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) is a self-administered questionnaire that assesses the main dimensions of pain, i.e., severity, functional impairment, impact on social and family life as well as level of psychological distress.

DN4 Questionnaire (Neuropathic Pain – 4 Questions)

The DN4 Questionnaire is used to assess the probability that the patient’s pain is neuropathic. The questionnaire is completed by the physician who is questioning or examining the patient. ;

Douglas Mental Health University Institute

The Douglas Mental Health University Institute site provides an exhaustive list of tools for the screening and diagnosis of mental health and substance abuse problems.

La douleur chez les aînés [Pain in older adults; available in French only]

Intended for nurses, this article provides information about self-assessment and proxy assessment tools, their appropriateness depending on the older person’s cognitive abilities and principles for their use. It includes the French version of the Pain Assessment Checklist for Seniors with Limited Ability to Communicate (PACSLAC-F© )

McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ)

The McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) is used to assess the quality of chronic pain, particularly neuropathic pain.

Opioid Manager

The Opioid Manager is a tool that contains essential information and advice from the Canadian Guideline for Safe and Effective Use of Opioids for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain. To download the Opioid Manager, registration is required.

Opioid Risk Tool (ORT)

The Opioid Risk Tool (ORT) assesses risk factors. It is available in English, French, Portuguese and Farsi (Persian).

Pain Assessment Booklet

The Pain Assessment Booklet allows the patient to provide an exact description of the pain he is experiencing and to identify its impact on his life.

Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)

The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) allows the patient to identify the physical and psychological problems pain has caused him in the last two weeks.

Prescribed Opioids Difficulties Scale (PODS)

The Prescribed Opioids Difficulties Scale (PODS) is used to identify patients’ problems and concerns with their opioid therapy.

Sheehan Disability Scale

The Sheehan Disability Scale assesses a patient’s/user’s functional impairment in three domains: work/school, social and family life.

User section

Je sais comment ma douleur chronique peut être évaluée [I know how my chronic pain can be assessed; available in French only]

This tool allows the patient to rate the severity of his pain on a scale of 1 to 10. For a full-screen image, click on the scale.

Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS)

For adults and spouses

Opioid use disorders

Substance Use Screening and Assessment Instruments Database

ADAI Library, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, University of Washington

This substance use and substance use disorder screening and assessment instruments database is intended for clinicians and researchers.