Two Modified Questionnaires for the Assessment of Nutrition Impact Symptoms in the Rehabilitation Phase after Burn Injury: A Content Validation Study

Disease Related Appetite Questionnaire (DRAQ) and Eating Symptom Questionnaire (ESQ) are used to assess nutrition impact symptoms, which are symptoms that can negatively affect the patients’ food intake. However, these questionnaires have not yet been adapted to the needs of patients recovering from burn injuries. Our aim was therefore to develop DRAQ and ESQ for assessments of nutrition impact symptoms after burn injury. A content validation index (I-CVI) for items included in DRAQ and ESQ, regarding their relevance for possible nutrition impact symptoms in a burn-injured patient (Likert scale 1–4), was performed by an expert review group. A clarity validation by expert and non-expert reviewers was carried out. Two of the eleven questions in DRAQ and eight of the fourteen questions in ESQ were not considered relevant and were therefore removed from the questionnaires. Five additional questions were added to DRAQ and two to ESQ. A high degree of consensus on relevance (scale-content validity index average, S-CVI/Ave, 0.86 for DRAQ-burn and 0.83 for ESQ-burn) was reached in the expert group. To conclude, it is suggested that we use developed forms of DRAQ and ESQ (DRAQ-burn and ESQ-burn) for the assessment of nutrition impact symptoms, specifically during the rehabilitation phase of burn-injured patients.