[The Pediatric Musculoskeletal Functional Health Questionnaire. A function assessment questionnaire for detection of illnesses of the locomotor system in children and adolescents--initial results of validating a German version].
OBJECTIVE
It was the purpose of this investigation to create a German version of the Pediatric Musculoskeletal Functional Health Questionnaire and to test its reliability, practicability and acceptance in children and adolescents with musculoskeletal disorders.


METHODS
In a first step, the Pediatric Musculoskeletal Functional Health Questionnaire was translated into the German language. Then 147 patients with musculoskeletal disorders or respectively, their parents were asked to fill in the questionnaire, in order to test the reliability, the internal consistency, the practicability, and the acceptance of this instrument.


RESULTS
The test-retest reliability for the subscales was high, it ranged between r = 0.56 and 0.93. Concerning the internal consistency of items and subscales we found only moderate results. The acceptance of the Questionnaire was high in patients or, respectively, their parents with 92%. Furthermore, the instrument has shown to be practicable and economical.


CONCLUSIONS
With the German version of the Pediatric Musculoskeletal Functional Health Questionnaire a multidimensional instrument is now available that reliably measures health status as well as therapeutic effects in children and adolescents with musculoskeletal disorders.
Kessler
S
S
Orthopädische Klinik mit Querschnittgelähmtenzentrum, Universität Ulm (RKU), Ulm. stefan-kessler@t-online.de
Pfänder
T
T
Nelitz
M
M
Puhl
W
W
Günther
K P
KP
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires