Assessing Analgesia and Function Tool (PEG)

The PEG score is a simple tool used to assess the level of pain and how it impacts your functioning and quality of life. It helps to track changes in pain levels over time, allowing healthcare providers to measure the effectiveness of pain management strategies. The PEG score is calculated by averaging three questions related to pain severity and its impact on life.

How to Calculate the PEG Score

To calculate your PEG score, answer the following three questions, then add the numbers together and divide by 3 to get your final score. The final PEG score is out of 10, with higher scores indicating more severe pain and greater interference with daily life.

1. What number best describes your pain on average in the past week?
   • 0: No pain
   • 10: Pain as bad as you can imagine
2. Example Response: Pain on Average: 5
   (This means that your pain on average in the past week has been moderate, a 5 on the scale.)
3. What number best describes how, during the past week, pain has interfered with your enjoyment of life?
   • 0: Does not interfere
   • 10: Completely interferes
4. Example Response: Enjoyment of Life: 5
   (This means pain has moderately interfered with your ability to enjoy life.)
5. What number best describes how, during the past week, pain has interfered with your general activity?
   • 0: Does not interfere
   • 10: Completely interferes
6. Example Response: General Activity: 5
   (This means pain has moderately interfered with your general activities.)

Calculating Your PEG Score:

• Pain on Average: 5
• Enjoyment of Life: 5
• General Activity: 5

Add these numbers together:
5 + 5 + 5 = 15

Now divide by 3:
15 ÷ 3 = 5.0

Your final PEG score is 5.0.

What Does the PEG Score Mean?

The PEG score provides a snapshot of how much pain is affecting your life:

• Score of 0: No pain and no interference with activities or enjoyment of life.
• Score of 1-3: Low pain, minimal interference with daily life.
• Score of 4-6: Moderate pain, noticeable impact on enjoyment and activities.
• Score of 7-10: Severe pain, significant interference with daily life and activities.

The PEG score is particularly useful for tracking changes over time. After starting pain management therapy, you should expect the score to decrease over time as pain becomes more manageable. If the score remains high or worsens, it may signal the need for adjustments to your pain management plan.

Printable Worksheet

For convenience, you can download a printable worksheet to keep track of your scores over time, helping you and your healthcare provider assess your progress.

Download Printable Worksheet

How Can the PEG Score Help?

The PEG score is useful for both patients and healthcare providers. It helps providers:

• Track changes in pain levels over time.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of treatments.
• Identify areas of life most impacted by pain (e.g., enjoyment of life vs. general activity).
• Make informed decisions about therapy adjustments.

Operate the Sliders to Calculate a PEG Score:

You can also use the sliders below to visually track your pain and its impact. Adjust each slider according to your experiences over the past week to calculate your PEG score.

What number best describes your pain on average in the past week?

• No pain (0) → Pain as bad as you can imagine (10)
  [Slider for Pain]

What number best describes how, during the past week, pain has interfered with your enjoyment of life?

• Does not interfere (0) → Completely interferes (10)
  [Slider for Enjoyment of Life]

What number best describes how, during the past week, pain has interfered with your general activity?

• Does not interfere (0) → Completely interferes (10)
  [Slider for General Activity]

By tracking your PEG score over time, you and your healthcare provider can gain valuable insights into how well your pain is being managed and what adjustments might be needed.