The Bournemouth Questionnaire: a short-form comprehensive outcome measure. II. Psychometric properties in neck pain patients.
OBJECTIVE
To modify an existing outcome measure (Bournemouth Questionnaire [BQ]) for use in patients with nonspecific neck pain and test its psychometric properties.


METHODS
Prospective longitudinal study in which the questionnaire was administered on 3 occasions (pretreatment, retest, and posttreatment).


METHODS
Anglo-European College of Chiropractic outpatient clinic and 8 field chiropractic practices.


METHODS
Seven core items relating to the biopsychosocial model of pain were included in the original questionnaire (back BQ). The wording of one of these items (disability in activities of daily living) was modified to include activities likely to be affected by neck pain. Testing of the neck BQ was carried out in 102 patients with nonspecific neck pain.


RESULTS
The instrument demonstrated high internal consistency on 3 administrations (Cronbach's alpha = 0.87, 0.91, 0.92). All 7 items were retained on the basis that they each significantly contributed to the total score (item-corrected total score correlations >0.43) and to the instrument's responsiveness to clinical change (item change-corrected total change score correlations >0.42). The instrument was reliable in test-retest administrations in stable subjects (ICC = 0.65). The instrument demonstrated acceptable construct validity and longitudinal construct validity with established external measures. The treatment effect size of the instrument was found to be high (1.67).


CONCLUSIONS
The neck BQ covers the salient dimensions of the biopsychosocial model of pain, is quick and easy to complete, and has been shown to be reliable, valid, and responsive to clinically significant change in patients with nonspecific neck pain. Its use as an outcome measure in clinical trials and outcomes research is recommended.
Bolton
Jennifer E
JE
Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, Bournemouth BH5 2DF, England.
Humphreys
B Kim
BK
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires