Responsiveness of observational and self-report methods for assessing disability in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis

✍ Scribed by Steultjens, Martijn P. M. ;Roorda, Leo D. ;Dekker, Joost ;Bijlsma, Johannes W. J.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 134 KB
• Volume: 45
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0004-3591
• DOI: 10.1002/1529-0131(200102)45:1<56::aid-anr84>3.0.co;2-y

✦ Synopsis

Objective. To establish the responsiveness of observational and self-report methods for the assessment of disability in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Methods. Data from 186 patients with hip OA or knee OA were used. Data from 1 observational method and 4 self-report methods for the assessment of disability in mobility were collected at week 0 and again 12 weeks later. Using correlations and factor analysis, the relationships among changes in these 5 methods were established. Results. Intercorrelations between change scores of the self-report methods ranged from 0.12 to 0.34. Correlations between the observational method and the self-report methods ranged from 0.14 to 0.26. In the factor analysis, both the self-report methods and the observational method loaded on the same factor. Conclusion. In a longitudinal design, no evidence for differential responsiveness of observational and self-report methods was obtained. Because of the advantages of questionnaires (they are easier to use, less time-consuming, and less of a burden to subjects), this implies that the use of self-report methods is to be preferred over observational methods.