Inter-method reliability of paper surveys and computer assisted telephone interviews in a randomized controlled trial of yoga for low back pain.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the reliability of different methods of survey administration in low back pain trials. This analysis was designed to determine the reliability of responses to self-administered paper surveys compared to computer assisted telephone interviews (CATI) for the primary outcomes of pain intensity and back-related function, and secondary outcomes of patient satisfaction, SF-36, and global improvement among participants enrolled in a study of yoga for chronic low back pain.


RESULTS
Pain intensity, back-related function, and both physical and mental health components of the SF-36 showed excellent reliability at all three time points; ICC scores ranged from 0.82 to 0.98. Pain medication use showed good reliability; kappa statistics ranged from 0.68 to 0.78. Patient satisfaction had moderate to excellent reliability; ICC scores ranged from 0.40 to 0.86. Global improvement showed poor reliability at 6 weeks (ICC = 0.24) and 12 weeks (ICC = 0.10).


CONCLUSIONS
CATI shows excellent reliability for primary outcomes and at least some secondary outcomes when compared to self-administered paper surveys in a low back pain yoga trial. Having two reliable options for data collection may be helpful to increase response rates for core outcomes in back pain trials.


BACKGROUND
ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01761617. Date of trial registration: December 4, 2012.
Department of Family Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, 1 Boston Medical Center Place, Dowling 5 South, Boston, MA 02118, USA. cerrada@usc.edu.
Christian J
CJ
Cerrada
Janice
J
Weinberg
Karen J
KJ
Sherman
Robert B
RB
Saper
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012107:Research Design; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015013:Yoga