The validity of A new practical quality of life measure in patients on renal replacement therapy.
OBJECTIVE
A new quality of life measure, apart of the National Health and Welfare 2003 survey, is a promising tool for outcome evaluation of clinical practice due to its brevity, validity, reliability, and providing easy interpretation against general population norm-based scores. The measure consisting of 9-items, and so called 9-item Thai Health status Assessment Instrument (9-THAI) was used to assess its validity and reliability in patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT).


METHODS
Three hundred and two patients on RRT who visited Srinagarind Hospital from March to May 2005 were studied Convergent and divergent validity were assessed using SF-36 as the concurrent measure. Concurrent validity was also assessed using hematocrit level and hospitalization history in the last year as concurrent clinical measures. Test-retest reliability was studied by repeated measure within one 1 month. Responsiveness of 9-THAI was studied in patients who reported health improvement.


RESULTS
Results of correlations between 9-THAI and SF-36 domains were as hypothesized 9-THAI scores were significantly correlated with hematocrit level and hospitalization history. The results confirmed the validity of 9-THAI for use as a quality of life measure. Intraclass correlation coefficients of 9-THAI scores in stable patients were satisfactory. Among patients on RRT who reported overall health improvement, 9-THAI scores significantly increased, thus adding further evidence of the responsiveness of 9-THAI.


CONCLUSIONS
The 9-THAI is a valid and reliable generic health status measure that can be used as an ideal core in a battery of quality of life measures in clinical practice for patients on RRT.
Cheawchanwattana
Areewan
A
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Thailand.
Limwattananon
Chulaporn
C
Gross
Cynthia
C
Limwattananon
Supon
S
Tangcharoensathien
Viroj
V
Pongskul
Cholatip
C
Sirivongs
Dhavee
D
D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D017582:Renal Replacement Therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design; D013785:Thailand