Apparatus is provided for use in the assessment of pain that a patient is experiencing which comprises a plurality of body pictures of a person of the same gender and ethnicity as the patient, where the body pictures represent different levels of pain for a person of that gender and ethnicity. Apparatus according to the present invention may comprise a plurality of cards having first and second sides. The first side of each card comprises a body picture of a person of the same gender and ethnicity as that of the patient and the body pictures on the plurality of cards represent different levels of pain for a person of the gender and ethnicity of the patient. The second side of each card comprises a pain rating corresponding to the level of pain shown in the body picture on the first side of each card. Apparatus in accordance with the present invention may also take age into account, as well as gender and ethnicity, in determining the patient's pain level. Body pictures generated according to the present invention and the corresponding information relating to pain may be stored in a digital computer and retrieved and displayed in hard copy form or on the display monitor of the computer.