title: A short questionnaire for the assessment of quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: psychometric properties of VQ11.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a need for a validated short instrument that can be used in routine practice to quantify potential short-term change in Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Our aim is to determine the validity and reliability of the VQ11 questionnaire dedicated to the routine assessment of HRQoL.
  
  
  METHODS
  181 COPD patients (40-85 yrs, I to IV GOLD stages) completed the VQ11, and several tests. One week later, 49 of these patients completed the VQ11 again.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Confirmatory factor analysis supported the two-level hierarchical structure of the VQ11 with 11 items covering three components and HRQoL at a higher level. The VQ11 showed good internal consistency and good reproducibility (r = 0.88). Concurrent validity showed significant correlations between VQ11 total scores and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire-C (r = 0.70), Short Form-36 (r = -0.66 for the physical component and -0.63 for the mental component). We obtained significant correlations with MRC Dyspnea Grades (r = 0.59), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale total score (r = 0.62), and the BODE index (r = 0.53).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The VQ11 has good measurement properties and provides a valid and reliable measure of COPD-specific HRQoL. It is ready for use in routine practice.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The study was approved by the University of Montpellier 1 Ethics Committee and the Regional Ethics Committee (authorization number: A00332-53).
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Epsylon, EA4556 Dynamics of Human Abilities & Health Behaviors, University MONTPELLIER 1, Montpellier F-34000, France. gregory.ninot@univ-montp1.fr.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ninot
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Soyez
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Préfaut
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*