title: Inter-observer variation in the assessment of skin ulceration.
abstract: Six observers (three physicians and three nurses) assessed 27 wounds of different types in 20 elderly patients, using five different classification systems. Using classification by colours, inter-observer agreement was moderate when six colours were used (70% agreement, group kappa 53%), and good if this was reduced to three (80% agreement, group kappa 64%). Results were only moderate using the Shea scoring system (68% agreement, group kappa 42%). Assessment for signs of infection was fair to moderate (75-85% agreement, group kappa 29-55%), but there was high inter-observer agreement for size and area (analysis of variance, p > or = 0.88).
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buntinx
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Beckers
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Keyser
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Flour
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nissen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Raskin
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: De Vet
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing*