Validation of a new dyspnea measure: the UCSD Shortness of Breath Questionnaire. University of California, San Diego.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluate the reliability and validity of a new version of the University of California, San Diego Shortness of Breath Questionnaire (SOBQ), a 24-item measure that assesses self-reported shortness of breath while performing a variety of activities of daily living.


METHODS
PATIENTS enrolled in a pulmonary rehabilitation program were asked to complete the SOBQ, the Quality of Well-Being Scale, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and a 6-min walk with modified Borg scale ratings of perceived breathlessness following the walk.


METHODS
University medical center pulmonary rehabilitation program.


METHODS
Thirty-two male subjects and 22 female subjects with a variety of pulmonary diagnoses: COPD (n=28), cystic fibrosis (n=9), and postlung transplant (n=17).


RESULTS
The current version of the SOBQ was compared with the previous version, the format of which often resulted in a significant number of "not applicable" answers. The results demonstrated that the SOBQ had excellent internal consistency (alpha=0.96). The SOBQ was also significantly correlated with all validity criteria.


CONCLUSIONS
The SOBQ is a valuable assessment tool in both clinical practice and research in patients with moderate-to-severe lung disease.
Eakin
E G
EG
Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, University of California San Diego/San Diego State University, USA.
Resnikoff
P M
PM
Prewitt
L M
LM
Ries
A L
AL
Kaplan
R M
RM
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000502:physiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires