title: Agreement between touch-screen and paper-based patient-reported outcomes for patients with fibromyalgia: a randomized cross-over reproducibility study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare data based on computerized and paper versions of health status questionnaires (HSQs) for sampling patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). In addition, to examine associations between patient characteristics (age, education, computer experience) and differences between versions. Finally, to evaluate the acceptability of computer-based questionnaires among patients with FM.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population comprised female patients diagnosed with FM. All patients completed six HSQs: the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), the painDETECT questionnaire (PDQ), the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Self-Assessment Questionnaire (GAD-10), both on paper and using a touch screen. One HSQ was tested at a time in a repeated randomized cross-over design. The two versions were completed with a 5-min interval and between each HSQ the participants had a 5-min break. Means, mean differences with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), medians, median differences, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated for all HSQs, including relevant subscales. Associations between patient characteristics and differences between versions were explored using Spearman's correlation coefficients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty women, mean age 48.4 years, participated in the study. Except for one item, ICCs between touch-screen and paper versions of the HSQs examined indicated acceptable agreement (ICC = 0.71-0.99). Overall, mean and median differences revealed no differences between versions. No significant associations were observed for patient characteristics. None of the participants preferred paper questionnaires over computerized versions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The computerized HSQs using a touch screen gave comparable results to answers given on paper and were generally preferred by the participants.
authors.affiliation: a The Parker Institute, Department of Rheumatology , Copenhagen University Hospital , Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg , Denmark.|b Institute of Public Health , University of Southern Denmark , Odense C , Denmark.
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Wæhrens
authors.affiliation: a The Parker Institute, Department of Rheumatology , Copenhagen University Hospital , Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg , Denmark.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Amris
authors.affiliation: a The Parker Institute, Department of Rheumatology , Copenhagen University Hospital , Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg , Denmark.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Bartels
authors.affiliation: a The Parker Institute, Department of Rheumatology , Copenhagen University Hospital , Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg , Denmark.|c Institute for Sports and Biomechanics , University of Southern Denmark , Odense M , Denmark.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.affiliation: a The Parker Institute, Department of Rheumatology , Copenhagen University Hospital , Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg , Denmark.|d Faculty of Health Science , University of Copenhagen , Denmark.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Danneskiold-Samsøe
authors.affiliation: a The Parker Institute, Department of Rheumatology , Copenhagen University Hospital , Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg , Denmark.|d Faculty of Health Science , University of Copenhagen , Denmark.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bliddal
authors.affiliation: a The Parker Institute, Department of Rheumatology , Copenhagen University Hospital , Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg , Denmark.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gudbergsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003201:Computers; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000523:psychology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010209:Paper; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D011897:Random Allocation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires