Screening questionnaires for musculoskeletal pain.

There is growing evidence for the importance of screening questionnaires to identify distressed people with pain, who need special attention as they are more likely to become disabled. The screening questionnaires identify cognitive and psychological factors known to be important with pain. These include factors such as negative beliefs, poor coping, anxiety, depressed mood, catastrophising and bothersomeness.
The findings on the questionnaires allow healthcare professionals to target management at these factors. The questionnaires don’t replace thorough clinical examination and are not diagnostic of mental health disorders. Rather they alert the healthcare professionals to the potential that these factors may play an important role.
Two widely used screening questionnaires are:
1. The Startback screening tool, designed and validated by Dr. Jonathon Hill, which is appropriate for primary care and is decribed in this video.

2. The Orebro multidimensional screening tool, designed and validated by Prof. Steven Linton. This includes work-related dimensions.