title: Back related outcome assessment instruments.
abstract: A literature review of the most widely used condition specific, self administered assessment questionnaires for low back pain had been undertaken. General and historic aspects, reliability, responsiveness and minimum clinically important difference, external validity, floor and ceiling effects, and available languages were analysed. These criteria, however, are only part of the consideration. Of similar importance are the content, wording of questions and answers in each of the six questionnaires and an analysis of the different score results. The issue of score bias is discussed and suggestions are given in order to increase the construct validity in the practical use of the individual questionnaires.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Evaluative Research in Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Bern, Stauffacherstrasse 78, 3014 Bern, Switzerland. urs.mueller@MEMcenter.unibe.ch
authors.forename: Urs
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Röder
authors.forename: Charles G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Greenough
mesh_terms: D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires