Labour pain scale

Quality of labour analgesia index

This program of research is designed to develop the first multiattribute health index to measure the quality of pain relief women receive during labour using epidurals. To date, a series of studies has been conducted to explore women's perspectives on what constitutes quality epidural pain relief, the nature and language of labour pain, and the development of the first scale within the index, the Labour Pain Scale. The Labour Pain Scale, a psychometric scale, has been developed and awaits further testing.

This study was multicentred and recruited parturients from Toronto East General Hospital, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and North York General Hospital. Once developed, this tool will permit researchers and clinicians to assess the impact of new drugs and new methods of providing pain relief in labouring women.

Principal investigator:

Dr. Pamela Angle
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Funded by:

Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society, R.A. Gordon Award: $20,000

Status:

In progress