Article

OBJECTIVES: To compare the content of the Fatigue Severity Scale and the subscale
"subjective experience of fatigue" of the Checklist Individual Strength, and (ii)
to assess the reliability of both questionnaires in polio survivors. DESIGN:
Repeated-measures at a 3-week interval. SUBJECTS: Consecutive series of 61 polio
survivors. METHODS: Concepts contained in the questionnaire items were linked to
the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF),
using standardized linking rules. Reliability analyses included tests of internal
consistency, test-retest reliability and measurement error. RESULTS:
Questionnaires differed in the extent to which they measured other than
fatigue-related aspects of functioning (represented ICF components: "Body
functions": 50% and 80%, "Activities and Participation": 30% and 0%, for the
Fatigue Severity Scale and Checklist Individual Strength, respectively). Internal
consistency and test-retest reliability were considered acceptable, while
measurement error was large (Cronbach's alpha: 0.90 and 0.93, intraclass
correlation coefficient: 0.80 and 0.85, smallest detectable change: 28.7% and
29.4% for the Fatigue Severity Scale and Checklist Individual Strength,
respectively). CONCLUSION: Considering the acceptable clinimetric properties, we
conclude that both the Fatigue Severity Scale and the Checklist Individual
Strength can be applied in research on post-poliomyelitis syndrome when measuring
fatigue. However, because the 2 questionnaires differ in content they cannot be
used interchangeably.

Langue : ANGLAIS