Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS)

The Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) is a tool used by healthcare providers to evaluate common symptoms experienced by patients, especially those with serious illnesses. It asks patients to rate symptoms like pain, tiredness, nausea, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, appetite, well-being, and shortness of breath on a scale from 0 (none) to 10 (worst imaginable). This helps clinicians understand patients’ current symptom burdens, monitor changes over time, and tailor treatments to improve comfort and quality of life. It’s a simple, effective way to capture a patient’s symptom experience from their perspective.