Reliability of 2 self-report questionnaires assessing performance of activities of daily living in chronic hand orthotic users.

Background: The reliability of Dutch questionnaires assessing performance of activities of daily living (ADL) has not been established in chronic hand orthotic users.

Objective: To examine the reliability of the custom short form of the Dutch-Flemish Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-Upper Extremity (DF-PROMIS-UE) and the Michigan Hand Questionnaire Dutch language version (MHQ-DLV) in chronic hand orthotic users and evaluate the correlation between the DF-PROMIS-UE and MHQ-DLV ADL domain.

Methods: Seventy-four chronic hand orthotic users (mean [SD] age 60.5 [10.71] years, 60 female) completed the DF-PROMIS-UE and MHQ-DLV twice. Reliability was assessed as internal consistency (Cronbach's α), test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient), and agreement (95% limits of agreement, standard error of measurement, smallest detectable change). Furthermore, the Pearson correlation coefficient were determined.

Results: Cronbach's α for both ADL questionnaires was ≥0.90. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82-0.93) for the DF-PROMIS-UE and 0.81 (95% CI, 0.72-0.88) for the MHQ-DLV ADL domain. The limits of agreement were narrower for the DF-PROMIS-UE (-4.43 to 5.85) than for the MHQ-DLV ADL domain (-27.4 to 26.4). The standard error of measurement and smallest detectable change for the DF-PROMIS-UE were 1.91 and 5.29 points and for MHQ-DLV ADL domain 9.65 and 26.8 points, respectively. The correlation between the ADL questionnaires was 0.83 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.89).

Conclusions: Although the DF-PROMIS-UE and MHQ-DLV ADL domain were highly correlated and showed good internal consistency, the DF-PROMIS-UE showed better test-retest reliability and lower measurement error than the MHQ-DLV ADL domain in chronic hand orthotic users.