The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #46595

Naseem D.S. Kerr, MPH Candidate¹, Jana M. Mossey, PhD, MPH, MSN¹, Maripat Welz-Bosna, RN, BSN², and Rollin M. Gallagher, MD, MPH². (1) School of Public Health, MCP Hahnemann University, 507 W. Manheim Street #21D, Philadelphia, PA 19144, (267)977-4255, ndsk@earthlink.net, (2) Graduate Hospital, Pain Medicine and Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center, 1800 Lombard Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical usefulness, reliability, and validity of a health background questionnaire and physician encounter form to be used for both clinical and research evaluation as part of the Uniform Outcomes Measures Project of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study utilizing data from consecutive new patients seen in the Pain Medicine and Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center at Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. Data from each patient with a completed (or semi-completed) Health Background Questionnaire and completed Physician Encounter Form at the time of their initial visit are included in the analyses. Data on patient satisfaction with the Health Background Questionnaire are also included. To assess the reliability and patient understanding of the HBQ, the consistency across patient responses to similar questions is being analyzed. To assess the validity and completeness of patient self-report data, comparisons are being made between patient responses on the HBQ and data supplied by the physician on the Physician Encounter Form following the initial visit. Results: Preliminary analyses used data from 43 patients. Similar questions regarding the number of surgeries for painful conditions were correlated with an r=0.605 (p< 0.001). Similar questions regarding patients’ self-rated health were associated using the Fisher’s Exact test (p<0.001). Questions regarding the impact of pain on social activities were highly correlated (r=-0.719, p<0.001). Similar questions regarding pain level over the past week appear to be correlated (r=0.572, p<.001). Similar questions regarding the number of recent hospital admissions and ER visits were also highly correlated (r=0.990, p<0.001 and r=0.958, P<0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Preliminary analyses indicate that patient responses to similar questions asked on the Health Background Questionnaire are consistent. This suggests that the Health Background Questionnaire has adequate reliability to be used for patient data collection for patient care as well as evaluation of treatment and practice patterns for chronic pain patients. Information regarding the Physician Encounter Forms will be available once the entire sample (n=129) is analyzed.

Learning Objectives:

• 3. Evaluate the reliability of patient responses on the Health Background Questionnaire in terms of consistency of responses to comparable questions.
  6. Assess the congruence of patient self-report on the Health Background Questionnaire and doctor report on the Physician Encounter Form.
  9. Identify a procedure for evaluating a questionnaire in a population of chronic pain patients.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.