[HoNOS-Rome: an extended, customized, and longitudinal oriented version of the HoNOS].
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the acceptability, reliability and factorial validity of a new Italian version of the HoNOS called HoNOS-Rome. Its main innovations are both in design and in contents.


METHODS
Face validity was assessed by surveying 3 focus groups. Reliability was assessed in 8 different pairs of raters on a sample of 24 patients; construct validity was analysed by factor analysis using a sample of 187 patients at 6 day centres. Acceptability was investigated by means an anonymous questionnaire filled by professionals that were using the instrument.


RESULTS
Time of completion was low (range 4-12 minutes), the tool proved very acceptable and the reliability was good (weighted kappa > or = 0.71 for all items). Factor analysis was consistent with the division of HoNOS-Rome into four sensible factors accounting for 52% of the total variance.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings indicate that HoNOS-Rome has a satisfactory degree of acceptability, construct validity and reliability, and may promote the routine evaluation of outcomes in mental health services.
Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Laboratorio di Epidemiologia e Biostatistica, Roma. morosini@iss.it
Pierluigi
P
Morosini
Antonella
A
Gigantesco
Angelica
A
Mazzarda
Loredana
L
Gibaldi
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012384:Rome