title: Mild, moderate, and severe intensity cut-points for the Respiratory Distress Observation Scale.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Respiratory Distress Observation Scale©(RDOS) is a means for assessing respiratory distress when a patient is unable to give a dyspnea self-report. Cut-point determination was needed to guide clinical application.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted in a prospective, observation study with inpatients ranked by nurse practitioners (NP) into levels of respiratory distress. A research assistant simultaneously measured RDOS blinded to NP ranking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants were 84 adults: mean age of 72.6 (SD = 15.2) years, 53.6% male, 77.4% African-American. NP ranking was distributed: none (30%), mild (26%), moderate (31%), and severe (13%) distress. RDOS scores ranged 0-13 (M = 4.8, SD = 3). NP ranking was significantly correlated with RDOS (rho = .91, p < .01). ROC curve analyses yielded cut-points: none = 0-2, any = 3, mild-moderate = 4-6, and severe ≥7 (p < .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intensity cut-point enhances the clinical utility of the RDOS.
authors: Wayne State University, College of Nursing, 5557 Cass Ave., Detroit, MI 48202, USA. Electronic address: m.campbell@wayne.edu.
authors: Margaret L
authors: ML
authors: Campbell
authors: Wayne State University, College of Nursing, 5557 Cass Ave., Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
authors: Katherine K
authors: KK
authors: Kero
authors: Wayne State University, College of Nursing, 5557 Cass Ave., Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
authors: Thomas N
authors: TN
authors: Templin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Assessment; Cut-points; Dyspnea; ROC curve analyses; Respiratory distress