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Assessment of physical activity by questionnaire and personal interview with particular reference to fitness and coronary mortality.

Physical work capacity was measured by means of a symptom limited, near maximal cycle ergometer exercise test in two populations: a random sample of 95 military officers, and 2014 apparently healthy working males, 40-59 years old. Physical activity during leisure hours was assessed by means of a standardized questionnaire and by a personal interview with the officers and with 1769 of the other men. A 3 year total incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) was recorded in the case of the officers and a 7 year CHD incidence and of CHD deaths was obtained for the 2014 working men. The data show that: A marked underestimation of the habitual levels of physical activity of the officers was obtained from the standardized questionnaire, as compared with that shown by the interview data. A far better agreement between the questionnaire and interview data on leisure time activity was observed among the mainly sedentary men. Physical work capacity was fairly well predicted from the questionnaire data in the sedentary men, but poorly predicted in the officers. CHD mortality in the sedentary men was highly correlated with working capacity in all age groups. Of 58 who died from CHD, 28 belonged to the lowest physical fitness quartile. This study indicates that questionnaires should be used with caution when assessing levels of habitual physical activity. It also suggests that a low physical work capacity is an important risk factor in CHD mortality.

Adult↗

Reporting recent sexual practices: gay men's disclosure of HIV risk by questionnaire and interview.

AIDS-related research relies primarily on self-reports of sexual practices. Therefore, determining which data collection methods yield more candid information is critical. Data from a study of gay men's sexual adaptations to the AIDS epidemic provided an opportunity to explore the congruence of data collected using a self-administered questionnaire with data from an unstructured face-to-face interview designed to facilitate report of sexual risk behavior. We examined (i) the concordance of questionnaire and unstructured interview risk ratings when the two data sources are scored for the same 16 sexual behaviors; (ii) the concordance of questionnaire ratings and ratings obtained when all information on recent sexual practices available from the unstructured interview is considered; (iii) the relationship between serostatus and both concordance patterns between methods; and (iv) the difference by serostatus of reported risk level within method. Riskiest behaviors were reported on the questionnaire for all serostatus groups. Riskier behaviors were more likely to be reported on the questionnaire while more characteristic, safer behaviors were discussed in interview, regardless of HIV serostatus. The advantages of a combined methods--questionnaire/interview--strategy for sexual practice research are discussed.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Comparison of questionnaire information and pharmacy data on drug use.

Information on chronic drug use at any time in the past was collected with a self-administered questionnaire as part of a prospective cohort study on diet, other life-style factors and cancer among subjects aged 55-69 years. The validity of the questionnaire information on drug use was evaluated among 207 subjects by comparing it to pharmacy records of dispensed drugs. The comparison could be made for the 2.5-year period preceding the questionnaire administration. Since the study subjects did not mention prescription drugs that were not dispensed by their pharmacy, indicating no errors of commission, the analyses were focused on the estimation of sensitivity of drug recall and its correlates. Questionnaire recall of drug use amounted overall to 61.2% of drugs prescribed to the subjects for at least 6 months. Drug recall decreased with increasing age and with increasing number of prescribed chronic use of drugs per subject. No difference in recall was observed between men and women. Recall tended to improve with increasing duration of use and varied with type of drug. When only long-term drug use at the time of questionnaire administration was considered, overall recall of drug use was 68.8%.

Age Factors↗

Questionnaire surveys on health and working conditions: development of an instrument for risk assessment in companies.

Periodic Occupational Health Surveys (POHS) are frequently used by occupational health and safety services in the Netherlands as a risk assessment instrument. These surveys include a questionnaire on work and health. Systematic attention is paid in this questionnaire to a broad range of working conditions and health complaints. In this article a method is presented to identify and evaluate work risks and health problems in groups of workers. Working conditions and health in any given company or department are assessed by comparing questionnaire data from its worker populations with data from one or more reference populations. Significant differences are interpreted as signals for both adverse working conditions and health problems. Considerations and choices with regard to the technical, operational and strategic quality of the method are elucidated. Probabilities of alpha- and beta-errors, choice of significance levels, and selection of reference populations are dealt with. Finally, a way of presentation of the results is shown. The method is considered to be part of a broader approach toward risk assessment. We recommend the combined use of questionnaire results and other available information, such as workplace surveys and sickness absence data. Questionnaires about work and health can be seen as one step in a multi-phase design: like in many diagnostic processes, the latter phases can enhance the precision of previous results. Recommendations are made for validating and evaluating this instrument.

Humans↗

Acute side effects during 3-D-planned conformal radiotherapy of prostate cancer. Differences between patient's self-reported questionnaire and the corresponding doctor's report.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy-induced side effects are often scored retrospectively according to the EORTC/RTOG scores for organs at risk by reviewing the medical records. Some studies could prove an over- or underestimation of side effects as assessed by the medical professionals. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate differences in side effects as described by the doctors and the patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 47 patients with prostate cancer were questioned about their side effects by a radiotherapist and asked to fill in a questionnaire at the start, in the middle and at the end of radiotherapy. The data of this questionnaire and the doctor's report were scored according to the German version of the EORTC/RTOG scores for gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) side effects and subsequently compared. We distinguished between "moderate" disagreement (better/worse by one grade, assessed by the doctor) and "pronounced" disagreement (better/worse by two grades, assessed by the doctor). RESULTS: The number of GI and GU side effects increased during radiotherapy both according to data obtained from the doctor and the patient questionnaire. Comparing doctors' reports with patients' questionnaires, for GI side effects an agreement was found in 22/47 patients, "moderately better" scores by the doctor's report were found in 13/47 patients, and "moderately worse" scores in 9/47 patients on average. "Pronouncedly better and worse" scores were found in 2/47 patients. For GU side effects an agreement was seen in 22/47 patients, "moderately better" scores in 17/47 patients and "moderately worse" scores in 3/47 patients. Regarding GU side effects, only pronouncedly better scores, as assessed by the doctor, were found in a mean of 4/47 patients. If the EORTC/RTOG score is used in its original English version, a difference is found, particularly in the assessment of GU side effects, resulting in an higher amount of agreement concerning GU side effects and a minor amount of "pronounced disagreement". CONCLUSION: In order to evaluate radiation-induced side effects, a patient's self-reported questionnaire should be included in the analysis of morbidity, above all for grade 0, 1, and 2 side effects. The validity of data seems to be questionable, particularly in the assessment of grade 0, 1 and 2 side effects, if only data from the doctors' reports are taken into account. The German version of the EORTC/RTOG score--not including the pretreatment status--leads to different results, particularly in the assessment of grade 0, 1, and 2 urinary side effects, which asks for a revision.

Acute Disease↗

[Reliability and validity of the Anaesthesiological Questionnaire for electively operated patients].

OBJECTIVE: The Anaesthesiological Questionnaire (ANP) is a self-rating method for the assessment of postoperative complaints and patient satisfaction. The questionnaire consists of two parts. Part 1 assesses the intensity of symptoms regarding the postoperative period in the "recovery-room and the first hours on the ward" (19 items) and the "current state" (17 items). Part 2 assesses patient satisfaction with the anaesthetic care as well as the unspecific perioperative care and postoperative convalescence. The questionnaire was designed to fulfill the criteria of reliability and validity and to serve as a practicable means of auditing the quality of routine clinical practice. METHODS: A total of 1,112 patients older than 18 years completed the questionnaire after an elective operation. Additionally data concerning the type of anaesthesia were recorded from the anaesthesia chart. To determine retest-reliability, 94 patients competed the ANP twice postoperatively. RESULTS: The participants of the survey represented 74.6% of the total collective. Out of 19 items 16 had a retest-reliability of r(tt)>0.70, the 3 other items had a reliability of r(tt)>0.50. Reliability (Cronbach's Alpha) of the patient satisfaction scales was between r(tt)=0.76 and r(tt)=0.91. In relation to the period immediately after anaesthesia,women reported more postoperative complaints than men but no differences were found between male and female patients with regard to satisfaction with perioperative care. Younger patients (18-49 years old) described more postoperative complaints than older patients and a lesser degree of satisfaction with perioperative care. There were plausible differences in postoperative complaints between patients who received general vs. regional anaesthesia. Patients reported less postoperative complaints after TIVA than after volatile anaesthetics. The configuration of patient characteristics and anaesthesia gives indications to "risk groups" who predominantly suffer after anaesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: The Anaesthesiological Questionnaire (ANP) is a reliable and valid method for the assessment of postoperative complaints and patient satisfaction.

Adolescent↗

[Rating the perioperative period by patients. First evaluation of a new questionnaire].

OBJECTIVE: There is an increasing demand for internal clinical quality assurance. For this reason methods for the assessment of patients' satisfaction and postoperative symptoms and complaints are needed. This article describes a new questionnaire for the measurement of these aspects. METHODS: The questionnaire consists of two parts. Part 1 assesses the intensity of symptoms related to the postoperative periods "recovery room", "first hours on ward" and "current state". Part 2 measures patients' satisfaction with anesthesiological care, unspecific perioperative care and postoperative convalescence. 431 patients completed the questionnaire after an elective operation. RESULTS: Results demonstrate a plausible difference in patients' symptoms between the three postoperative periods. The difference between the remembered complaints in the "recovery room" and the "first hours on ward" is of small degree. Related to the period immediately after anesthesia, women describe a worse state of health than men. Male and female patients do not differ in their satisfaction with anesthesiological care. Older patients describe greater satisfaction with perioperative care than younger ones. There are only a few significant correlations between the intensity of symptoms in the "recovery room" and data from anesthesiological documentation. CONCLUSIONS: The new questionnaire is sensitive for the change of symptoms in the course of postoperative time. Considering the results, a modification of the questionnaire ist suggested. This instrument is to be used in a greater and representative sample of patients now.

Adult↗

Management of nutrition in European intensive care units: results of a questionnaire. Working Group on Metabolism and Nutrition of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the practical aspects of nutritional management in intensive care units (ICUs). DESIGN: A 49-item questionnaire was sent to the physician members of the European Society for Intensive Care Medicine. The issues addressed included: medical environment, assessment of nutritional status and current practice for enteral and parenteral nutrition. SETTING: 1608 questionnaires were sent in 35 European countries. ANALYSIS: The answers were pooled and stratified by country. RESULTS: 271 questionnaires were answered (response rate 17%). Assessment of nutritional status was generally based on clinical (99%) and biochemical (82%) parameters rather than on functional (24%), anthropometric (23%), immunological (18%) or questionnaire-based (11%) data. Two thirds of 2774 patients hospitalised in the corresponding ICUs at the time the questionnaire was answered were receiving nutritional support; 58% of those were fed by the enteral route, 23% by the parenteral route and 19% by combined enteral and parenteral. The preferred modality was enteral nutrition, instituted before the 48th h after admission, at a rate based on estimated caloric requirements. Specific and modified solutions were rarely used. Parenteral nutrition was less commonly used than enteral, although the practices differed between countries. It was mainly administered as hospital-made all-in-one solutions, at a rate based on calculated caloric requirements. CONCLUSIONS: European intensivists are concerned by the nutritional management of their patients. The use of nutritional support is common, essentially as early enteral feeding.

Critical Care↗

Quality of life in patients with vertebral fractures: validation of the Quality of Life Questionnaire of the European Foundation for Osteoporosis (QUALEFFO). Working Party for Quality of Life of the European Foundation for Osteoporosis.

Vertebral fractures may be minor or lead to pain, decreased physical function, immobility, social isolation and depression, which together contribute to quality of life. A Working Party of the European Foundation for Osteoporosis has developed a specific questionnaire for patients with vertebral fractures. This questionnaire, QUALEFFO, includes questions in the domains pain, physical function, social function, general health perception and mental function. QUALEFFO was validated in a multicenter study in seven countries. The study was done in 159 patients aged 55-80 years with clinical osteoporosis, i.e., back pain and other complaints with at least one vertebral fracture and lumbar bone mineral density T-score <-1. Patients with a recent vertebral fracture were excluded because of unstable disease. Controls were age- and sex-matched, and did not have chronic back pain or vertebral fractures. Subjects with conditions exerting a major influence on quality of life were excluded. The QUALEFFO was administered twice within 4 weeks and compared with a generic questionnaire, the Short Form 36 of the Medical Outcomes Study (SF-36). Standard spinal radiographs were made for assessment of vertebral height. Seven questions were removed from the analysis because of low response rate, linguistic ambiguities or redundancy. The 41 remaining questions were analyzed for repeatability, internal consistency and the capacity to discriminate between patients with vertebral fractures and controls. Comparison with the SF-36 was performed within similar domains by conditional logistic regression and by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The repeatability of QUALEFFO was good (kappa statistics 0.54-0.90) and 26 of 41 questions had a kappa score >/=0.70. The internal consistency of the five domains was adequate, with Crohnbach alpha around 0.80. All except five questions discriminated significantly between patients and controls. The median scores of QUALEFFO were significantly higher in patients with vertebral fractures than in controls in all five domain (p<0. 001), which is consistent with decreased quality of life in patients with osteoporosis. Spinal radiographs were assessed using the McCloskey-Kanis algorithm. According to this, 124 patients (78%) had vertebral fractures of >/=3 SD severity, in contrast with 7 controls (4%). Significant correlations existed between scores of similar domains of QUALEFFO and the SF-36, especially for pain, physical function and mental function. All five domains within each questionnaire discriminated significantly between fracture cases and controls. The odds ratios for pain and social function were greater for QUALEFFO, while general health perception was more discriminating using the SF-36. The ROC curve analysis of QUALEFFO indicated that all five domains were significantly predictive of vertebral fractures. When comparing similar domains of the two questionnaires, QUALEFFO domains demonstrated significantly better performance for pain, physical function and social function. The QUALEFFO total score and SF-36 physical composite score showed similar performance. In conclusion, QUALEFFO is repeatable, coherent and discriminates well between patients with vertebral fractures and control subjects. The results of this study confirm the decreased quality of life in patients with vertebral fractures.

Aged↗

Validation of a self-administered questionnaire for assessing exposure to back pain mechanical risk factors.

OBJECTIVE: To validate a self-administered questionnaire assessing exposure to mechanical risk factors, developed for a cohort study aiming at assessing the influence of physical and psycho-social factors on the incidence of low back pain (LBP). METHODS: The study first involved a criterion validity test. A sample of the cohort workers (n=152) was observed at the workplace during four 30 min periods randomly distributed along the shift. At the end of the work shift, the questionnaire was filled in both by the worker and the observer. Agreements were tested between self-reports and observations, and between self-reports and observer opinion. Secondly, a comparison of exposure-effect relationships based on self-reports to those based on observations was carried out on the whole study cohort (n=716). Both sets of Relative Risks of being an incident case (LBP lasting at least 7 consecutive days in the follow-up year) were tested for heterogeneity. RESULTS: Self-reports agreement levels were better with observer opinion than with observational data and were higher for answers at a dichotomous level. Vehicle driving, manual handling without estimation of weight and frequencies, or trunk bending without rotation showed a fair to good agreement with the external criteria. Limits in the validation procedure did not allow validating the sitting and standing durations. As regards the health outcome comparison, questionnaire and observations led to homogeneous Relative Risks for the variables tested. CONCLUSIONS: Results show that self-reports provide a limited accuracy to assess actual frequencies and durations of work activities. Using a questionnaire, classifying the workers into exposure categories is rather relative, but questionnaire and observations seem similar in their relationships to outcome.

Adult↗

Reproducibility of a questionnaire for assessment of present and past physical activities.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of a self-administered questionnaire about present and past physical activities at work and during leisure time. METHODS AND DESIGN: The questionnaire, covering the period 1970-1993, comprised 12 questions on physical activities at work, and 12, with similar wording, for such activities in leisure time. There were also four questions on physical training. Two-week reproducibility (test-retest reliability) concerning the period 1970-1993 was analysed in a group of 44 subjects, and 1-year reproducibility, concerning current activities in 1993, was analysed in a second group of 123 subjects in relation to gender, age and low-back health. RESULTS: Test-retest reliability calculated as intraclass correlation coefficients (ri) for physical activities at work (ri 0.41-0.98) exceeded that for leisure time and physical training activities (ri 0.33-0.68). Calculated correlations did not differ markedly between past and present activities. No distinct influence of gender or low back health on 1-year reproducibility was found, in contrast to a slight tendency towards higher reproducibility among subjects of 50 years and older compared with younger subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Reproducibility of this questionnaire about physical activities at work showed no clear tendency to deteriorate regarding activities during the immediately preceding two decades. The questions about physical activities during leisure time have to be revised. Reliable retrospective information about physical activities in leisure time could perhaps not be collected by self-administered questionnaires and other methods, e.g. interview-based questionnaires, may be more suitable.

Adult↗

Comparative assessment of study groups of elderly female computer users from four European countries: questionnaires used in the NEW study.

There is a lack of consistent and comprehensive questionnaire forms for the studies of factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders at the European level. One of the results of the EU-funded project, neuromuscular assessment in the elderly worker (NEW), is a set of questionnaires for the screening of musculoskeletal status and the studies of factors that are believed to affect musculoskeletal health. The questionnaires have been used among elderly women (45+) in different occupations and organisations in Denmark, The Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. The aim of this short communication is to present the questionnaires used in the NEW study and to evaluate the appropriateness of pooling data gathered in each participating country into a common database. It is concluded that although differences exist among the study samples, these are not of such a magnitude or pattern that data from the four groups cannot be pooled. The questionnaires are available in Danish, Dutch, English, German and Swedish.

Case-Control Studies↗

Reliability and validity of the Italian version of the Chronic Pain Grade questionnaire in patients with musculoskeletal disorders.

The aim of this study is to analyse the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Chronic Pain Grade (CPG) questionnaire within a population of chronic musculoskeletal pain patients. The CPG questionnaire was adapted following the translation and back-translation methodologies. There were 576 patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Internal consistency was checked by the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Construct validity was analysed by performing principal component factor analysis and by comparing CPG dimensions and subscales with the SF-36 questionnaire. Discriminant validity was assessed by comparing the CPG and SF-36 dimensions in patients with and without other health conditions. Factor analysis yielded two factors which accounted for 76.4% of the variance of the questionnaire. Both subscales of the CPG showed satisfying to good internal consistency. Cronbach's alpha was 0.89 for the first factor 'Disability Score' (58.72% of the explained variance) and 0.81 for the second factor 'Characteristic Pain Intensity' (17.70% of the explained variance). Item-total correlations for the subscales were moderate up to high (from 0.500 to 0.771). In comparison with the SF-36, the expected correlations were found when comparing items measuring similar constructs, supporting the concepts of convergent construct validity. Discriminant validity, assessed by comparing the CPG dimensions in patients with and without other health conditions, showed that the CPG shows moderate association with the presence of co-morbidities. Furthermore, the CPG Disability Score was inversely correlated (p=0.01) to years of formal education. In conclusion, the Italian version of the CPG questionnaire has shown to be valid and reliable for evaluating the severity of chronic musculoskeletal pain, with metric properties in agreement with the original, widely used version.

Adult↗

A self-administered questionnaire of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow.

We report a new self-administered questionnaire for assessment of symptom severity of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE). The new UNE and Levine's questionnaires were administered to a sample of UNE subjects and for comparison also to a sample of subjects with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). We enrolled 89 consecutive patients (32 women, 57 men, mean age 52.3 years) with UNE and 203 consecutive patients (157 women and 46 men, mean age 53.7 years) with CTS. The protocol of the study consisted in self-administration of the new UNE and Levine's questionnaires, as well as scoring of clinical and electrophysiological severity of entrapment syndromes with ordinal scales. The UNE questionnaire (UNEQ) includes nine questions and considers numbness and tingling in the fourth and fifth fingers, elbow pain and modification of pain and paraesthesia with elbow position. A score from 1 (absence of symptom) to 5 (most severe) is assigned for each question. The overall score is calculated as the mean of the nine scores. Test-retest reliability, internal consistency and validity were assessed. Responsiveness was also tested in a sample of patients undergoing conservative treatment. The UNEQ was reproducible. Spearman's correlation coefficient between scores at successive observations (test-retest reliability), assessed in the first 44 patients, was 0.97 and Cohen coefficients kappa for single items were between 0.64 and 0.81. Internal consistency was high: Cronbach's alpha, which summarises interitem correlations among all items of UNEQ, was 0.87. Validity was demonstrated by a direct correlation with UNE clinical and electrophysiological severity scores (0.65 and 0.35). On the contrary, Spearman's correlation coefficients between UNEQ and clinical and electrophysiological CTS severity scores were low (0.11 and 0.02, respectively). Responsiveness was calculated at 6-8 months follow-up in 25 cases. The effect size was 0.46. The Wilcoxon rank-test showed significant improvement between basal and follow-up UNEQ scores (Z=-2.39, p=0.017), but not Boston Questionnaire scores. There was also significant correlation between UNEQ changes and an arbitrary scale of patient satisfaction at follow-up (r=0.85, p<0.001). The UNEQ is reproducible, internally consistent and valid. Although further studies are required to test its responsiveness to clinical changes, UNEQ may be also considered responsive. UNEQ can be used to measure subjective discomfort in UNE patients.

Adolescent↗

A "new and improved" EQ-5D valuation questionnaire? Results from a pilot study.

Notwithstanding its widespread use, the standard questionnaire used to elicit visual analogue scale valuations for EQ-5D states is well known to suffer from problems with missing values (particularly for the state "dead") and logical inconsistencies. This contribution reports on efforts to redesign the questionnaire to overcome these problems and the results from its use in a pilot study. The redesigned questionnaire asks respondents to provide a numerical score for each state (instead of drawing lines to a visual analogue scale) and employs a new method for valuing "dead". A pilot study was undertaken to gauge the effects of these innovations, over and above other cosmetic changes to the questionnaire. The redesigned questionnaire was found to result in fewer missing values, fewer exclusions and fewer logical inconsistencies. Mean re-scaled values for the health states remained virtually identical. The results suggest that scoring is a better way of eliciting self-completed valuations than scaling.

Adolescent↗

Development and psychometric evaluation of a self-administered questionnaire to measure knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases.

This research developed and evaluated a brief but comprehensive measure of knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) for use in research and applied settings. Questionnaire construction involved a review of empirical precedents as well as qualitative work with STD experts (n = 6) and the target population (n = 40). Eighty-five items were piloted (n = 50) and tested (n = 391) with college students. Item- and test-level analyses identified items that were eliminated to shorten the questionnaire. Factor analyses revealed a two-factor model of STD knowledge, including a Cause/Cure factor and a General Knowledge factor. Six supplemental items were added to the final questionnaire for their public health value and resulted in the 27-item STD-Knowledge Questionnaire (STD-KQ). The STD-KQ demonstrated internal consistency (alpha = .86) and test-retest reliability (r = .88) over a brief period. Evidence for the validity of the STD-KQ was obtained through a comparison with a validated HIV knowledge questionnaire (Carey & Schroder, 2002); treatment outcome sensitivity was obtained in response to an educational program. Use of the STD-KQ will enable researchers and health educators to identify knowledge deficits, measure knowledge for theory testing, evaluate risk reduction programs, and assess treatment response in research and applied settings.

Adolescent↗

Psychometric assessment and application of a questionnaire measuring patient: satisfaction with information on cancer treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Pharmaceutical care follows a needs-based approach. Cancer patients form a group with particular needs. Information about cancer treatment plays an important role in terms of coping strategies, initiation of self-care behaviour, and quality of life. In order to develop pharmaceutical care strategies for cancer patients, it is important to assess patients' information needs. This survey aims at providing a suitable instrument to measure patient satisfaction with information on cancer treatment and to reveal the present situation in Germany. METHODS: Since there was no suitable German measure available, the Canadian 'Patient Satisfaction with Cancer Treatment Education (PS-CaTE) questionnaire' was translated into German and its test quality criteria were examined. Selected socio-demographic variables were added to the original version of the questionnaire to facilitate subgroup analysis. A pre-test was performed to assess the reliability of the adapted instrument. The questionnaire was distributed among patients of cooperating hospitals, oncology practices, and self-aid groups over Germany. RESULTS: The pre-test established a good reliability of the instrument. In the main survey, overall satisfaction, on a 5-point Likert scale, showed a median score of 3.5, where 5 represented the highest degree of satisfaction. A subscale analysis revealed that satisfaction with information provided on adverse events and complementary treatment options was lower compared to the information provided on cancer treatment. A stepwise multiple-regression analysis identified three significant predictors of satisfaction: a) diagnosis of a mammary carcinoma; b) recent diagnosis; and c) treatment by a primary-care oncologist. Patients with a mammary carcinoma and patients treated by a primary-care oncologist were less satisfied, and patients with a recent diagnosis were more satisfied compared to other patients. In comparison to other information sources, pharmacists still seem to play a minor role as a source of information for patients. CONCLUSIONS: The version of the questionnaire with a total of 14 items seems to be suitable for measuring patient satisfaction with information. Additional research is needed to further verify the validity of the instrument. The questionnaire may help pharmaceutical-care providers to develop needs-based information strategies. The assessment of patient satisfaction can contribute to the outcome evaluation of pharmaceutical care. The fact that pharmacists are not yet being recognised by most patients as a source of information should support an intensified and more active offer of care by the pharmacist.

Female↗

Development and psychometric validation of a new patient satisfaction instrument: the osteoARthritis Treatment Satisfaction (ARTS) questionnaire.

Given the increasing interest in treatment satisfaction research and the lack of a specific questionnaire in osteoarthritis (OA), we developed and explored the psychometric properties of the osteoARthritis Treatment Satisfaction (ARTS) questionnaire. The ARTS questionnaire which consists of 18 items was developed in French following the analysis of semi-structured interviews performed among 20 OA participants, five rheumatologists and five general practitioners. Psychometric properties were assessed in France on a cross-sectional sample of 797 OA participants and test-retest reliability was evaluated in an independent sample of 111 clinically stable OA participants who filled-in the questionnaire within a 7.7 (+/- 3.1) day interval. Using principal component analysis, four scales were identified: Treatment advantages (seven items), Treatment convenience (three items), Treatment confidence (two items) and Satisfaction with physician (six items). Item convergent and item discriminant validity were satisfactory. Internal consistency provided evidence of reliability and lack of redundancy (Cronbach's alphas ranged from 0.66 to 0.86). Test-retest reliability was acceptable for two out of four scales (intraclass correlations coefficients (ICC) ranged from 0.61 to 0.75). Significant between groups differences were found on the ARTS scales, demonstrating the known groups validity of the ARTS questionnaire. The responsiveness of the ARTS is still to be documented.

Aged↗