ABSTRACT
Background and rationale@#No study in Laos has focused on the affects of an accurate estimation by a doctor of his/her patient's level of pain.@*Methodology@#The McGill pain questionnaire was validated into Lao language. The validated version was then administrated to a cohort of 180 new patients as well as to their 88 doctors. The questionnaire was re- administrated to the patients 2 weeks later.@*Results@#A good estimation by a doctor of the intensity of pain felt by his patient is associated with the disappearance of a level of pain that hinders the possibility to carry out daily chores. Three factors were retained in a regression model on the congruence between doctors and patients in the estimation of the pain level: ethnicity and level of education of the patient, and physicians' number of years of practice.@*Conclusion@#Teaching future health care providers on how to estimate pain should be considered as a crucial component of medical training.