Validation of the Tswana versions of the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, Quebec Disability Scale and Waddell Disability Index
Date
2010-06-29T11:34:26Z
Authors
De Beer, Nicholas
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Abstract
The use of reliable and valid outcome measures in clinical research as well as clinical
practice is very important. Self reported questionnaires are widely used as outcome measures
to assess the subjective perception of disability caused by low back pain (LBP). The Roland
Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), Quebec Disability Scale (QDS) and Waddell
Disability Index (WDI) have been identified as reliable and valid instruments for assessing
disability caused by LPB in English speaking patients. The three questionnaires were
translated, back-translated and tested in a final version for use with Tswana speaking
subjects. The questionnaires were tested on one hundred respondents, who met the inclusion
criteria, at five hospitals in Tswana speaking areas. Of the one hundred respondents 31 were
retested 24 hours later. No significant floor or ceiling effects were found for all three
questionnaires. There was moderate correlation between the RMDQ, WDI and the DRI (0.74
and 0.63, respectively). The correlation between the QDS and the Disability Rating Index
(DRI) was strong (0.85). The RMDQ, QDS and WDI correlated moderately with the VAS
(pain) (0.63, 0.68 and 0.74, respectively). The RMDQ, QDS and WDI appeared to be
internally consistent scales with Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.92, 0.95 and 0.75, respectively.
The RMDQ, QDS and WDI showed excellent test-retest reliability with intra-class
correlation coefficient values of 0.93, 0.91 and 0.84, respectively. The results suggest that the
Tswana versions of the RMDQ, QDS and WDI validated in this study are easy to understand,
valid and reliable instruments for the measurement of functional disability caused by LBP in
a Tswana speaking population. Therefore, these translated instruments may be useful clinical
methods for collecting standardised data on activity limitations resulting from LBP in a
Tswana speaking population.
Description
MSc Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2009
Keywords
Tswana, effectiveness, measurement of functional disability, lower back pain