title: Disability in Italian neurosurgical patients: validity of the 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule.
abstract: The aim of the study was to assess factor structure, internal consistency and validity of the Italian version of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 12-item version (WHODAS-12) in patients scheduled for neurosurgical procedures for brain tumours, cerebrovascular or spinal diseases. Disability was assessed with the WHODAS-12, quality of life with the eight-item European Health Interview Survey-Quality of Life, well-being with the Psychological General Well-Being Index-Short and general health with the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) scales. Factor analysis was used to confirm WHODAS-12 one-factor structure; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) and χ2/d.f. ratio were used to test the model fit. Internal consistency was assessed with Cronbach's α coefficient, item-total correlation and interitem correlation; convergent validity was assessed with Pearson's coefficient and discriminative validity was assessed with the t-test, dividing patients between those with KPS greater than 90 and KPS of 90 or less. The one-factor structure was confirmed (RMSEA=0.079; χ2/d.f.=2.16) and internal consistency was adequate. Correlations between the three outcome measures were significant, negative and moderate; the t-test showed disability scores to be statistically significantly higher in patients with KPS of 90 or less. Our results confirm factor structure and validity of WHODAS-12 in Italian neurosurgical inpatients; we therefore support its use in neurosurgery departments.
authors.affiliation: aDivision of Neurosurgery II, Neurological Institute C. Besta IRCCS Foundation bDivision of Neurosurgery III cNeurology, Public Health and Disability Unit, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schiavolin
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferroli
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Acerbi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brock
authors.forename: Morgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Broggi
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cusin
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schiariti
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Visintini
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Quintas
authors.forename: Matilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raggi
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000601:surgery; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D014944:World Health Organization