Comparing Generic and Disease-Specific Measures of Physical and Role Functioning

Results from the Veterans Health Study

Bibliographic Data

ID9103214
AuthorsXinhua Steve Ren (0000-0003-0412-4134, Tufts Medical Center, corresponding author), Lewis Kazis, Lewis E Kazis (0000-0003-1800-5849, Boston University, corresponding author), Austin Lee (0000-0003-2811-7385), J Austin Lee (0000-0002-0252-3716, Boston University, corresponding author), Donald R Miller (0000-0002-7881-8801, Boston University, corresponding author), Jack A Clark (0000-0002-7424-1670, Boston University, corresponding author), Katherine M Skinner (Boston University, corresponding author), Katherine Skinner (0000-0003-0139-7524), William Rogers (0000-0001-9186-870X), William H Rogers (Tufts Medical Center, corresponding author)
Year1998
Volume36
Issue2
Pages155-166
Publication date1998-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMedical Care (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0025-7079 • E-ISSN: 1537-1948
PublisherOvid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1097/00005650-199802000-00005
PMID9475470
OpenAlexW2044414942
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited16

OBJECTIVES: This study compared the performance of generic measures of Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36-Item Health Survey physical functioning and role limitations with disease-specific measures of physical functioning and role limitations using specific disease attributions for chronic lung disease, chronic low back pain, and osteoarthritis of the knee. METHODS: Data were analyzed from the Veterans Health Study among patients receiving Veteran's Administration ambulatory care. Patients identified as having one of the three study conditions were included in the study (n = 932). RESULTS: The study revealed that the generic physical functioning and role limitations scales had higher correlations with other generic SF-36 scales, whereas disease-specific attribution measures had larger R2 values in explaining variability in symptom-based disease severity and larger t statistic values in discriminating the impacts of patients taking medications and having surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The generic measures of physical functioning and role limitations were more applicable in assessing a broad array of health-related quality-of-life issues, whereas disease-specific measures of physical functioning and role limitations were more useful in evaluating clinical management and limitations associated with specific disease conditions. The results of the study suggest that the use of disease-specific attribution assessments was more cost-efficient than the development of new disease-specific instruments. Disease-specific attribution could be used to complement generic measures in assessing patient outcomes

Attribution · Disease · Disease management · Health care · Pathology · Physical therapy · Quality of life (healthcare) · Clinical Psychology · Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research · Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life · Medicine · Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation · Psychology