Development of a battery of instruments for detailed measurement of health status in patients with COPD in routine care: the Nijmegen Clinical Screening Instrument.
OBJECTIVE
To compose a battery of instruments that provides a detailed assessment of health status (HS) in COPD but that is applicable and clinically meaningful in routine care.


METHODS
In a previous study, we developed the Nijmegen Integral Assessment Framework (NIAF) that organizes existing tests and instruments by the sub-domains of HS they measure. Based on clinical and statistical criteria (correlation coefficients and Cronbach alpha's) we selected for each sub-domain instruments from the NIAF. A COPD-study group was used to determine c-scores, and two control groups were used to determine the score ranges indicating normal functioning versus clinically relevant problems for each sub-domain. Existing questionnaire completion software (TestOrganiser) was adapted to enhance clinical applicability.


RESULTS
The NCSI measures eleven sub-domains of physiological functioning, symptoms, functional impairment, and quality of life. The TestOrganiser automatically processes the data and produces the graphical PatientProfileChart, which helps to easily interpret results. This envisages the problem areas and discrepancies between the different sub-domains.


CONCLUSIONS
The NCSI provides a valid and detailed picture of a patient's HS within 15-25 min. In combination with the PatientProfileChart, the NCSI can be used perfectly in routine care as screening instrument and as a guide in patient-tailored treatment.
Peters
Jeannette Bernadette
JB
Department of Medical Psychology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmeegsebaan 31, Postbus 66, 6560 AB, Groesbeek, The Netherlands. j.peters@mps.umcn.nl
Daudey
Leonie
L
Heijdra
Yvonne F
YF
Molema
Johan
J
Dekhuijzen
P N Richard
PN
Vercoulen
Jan H
JH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires