Article

Self-reported disability related to neck pain can be measured using general
health questionnaires. The validity of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item
Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) in patients with nonspecific chronic neck pain
(CNP) in a tertiary outpatient rehabilitation setting is unknown. This study
investigates construct validity of the SF-36 in these patients using 16 a-priori
formulated hypotheses. Ninety-one patients admitted for rehabilitation completed
the SF-36 before the rehabilitation program. SF-36 domain scores of patients with
CNP were compared with general population reference values and standardized
differences were calculated. For both the SF-36 physical and the mental component
summary (PCS and MCS), differences between primary and tertiary care setting, men
and women, age groups, litigants and nonlitigants, patients with and without
compensation, and with >/=3 versus</=2 concomitant complaints were analyzed using
independent t-tests. Differences between PCS and MCS scores were analyzed using a
paired t-test. Twelve hypotheses were not rejected and four were rejected. All
SF-36 domain scores were significantly lower than the general population
references values. The domain scores 'role physical', 'bodily pain', 'vitality',
'social functioning,' and 'role emotional' were relevantly (>/=1 SD) lower.
SF-36-PCS and SF-36-MCS scores were significantly lower in tertiary care. The
SF-36-PCS score was significantly lower for patients with workers compensation
and patients with at least three concomitant complaints.
The SF-36-MCS score was
significantly lower for the age group of at least 39 years.
The SF-36 has good
construct validity and can be used to measure self-reported general health in
patients with nonspecific CNP in outpatient tertiary rehabilitation.

Langue : ANGLAIS