title: Development and validation of the Crohn's disease perceived work disability questionnaire.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  No validated instruments have been developed to measure work disability in Crohn's disease (CD). The aim of our study was to develop and validate a CD perceived work disability questionnaire (CPWDQ).
  
  
  METHODS
  Development phase: an initial questionnaire containing 52 items was obtained from patients' interviews plus additional sources; it was completed by 106 patients and the 16 most significant items were selected using a psychometric method in order to create the CPWDQ. Validation phase: The validation assessed the questionnaire's convergent validity, discriminant validity, test-retest reproducibility, and internal consistency in 108 patients. Spearman rank correlation, t-test, intraclass correlation, and Cronbach's alpha were used for the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Convergent validity was confirmed by good correlations between the CPWDQ and: clinical activity (r = 0.59, P < 0.01), the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire, IBDQ-9, (r = 0.76, P < 0.001), Euroqol-5D (r = 0.53, P < 0.01), and overall work impairment (WPAI_CD) r = 0.66 (P < 0.01). Discriminant validity: CPWQ scores were higher in patients expected to have more severe disability, that is, in patients with active disease (n = 38) 32.3 ± 7.3 versus inactive (n = 70) 22.6 ± 5.9 (P < 0.001), in those requiring previous sick leave 30.7 ± 7.5 (n = 45) versus no sick leave 22.6 ± 6.6 (n = 63) (P < 0.01), and in those requiring hospitalization 32.2 ± 8.6 (n = 18) versus no hospitalization 24.7 ± 7.1 (n = 90) (P < 0.01). Internal consistency was also good (Cronbach's alpha = 0.89). Reproducibility: CPWDQ measures obtained 2 weeks apart showed an excellent intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.89 (95% CI: 0.83-0.93).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CPWDQ seems to be a valid, reliable tool for measuring subjective work disability in CD.
authors.affiliation: Digestive Diseases Unit, Hospital de Sabadell, Institut Universitari Parc Taulí, Departament de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vergara
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montserrat
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Casellas
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gallardo
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Suarez
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Motos
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villoria
authors.forename: Mireia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miquel
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martinez-Bauer
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Calvet
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014937:Work; D055815:Young Adult