Detailled Information

Name of the Instrument/Tool Revised Leeds Disability Questionnaire (RLDQ)
First Description

Abbott CA, Helliwell PS, Chamberlain MA. Functional assessment in ankylosing spondylitis: Evaluation of a new self-administered questionnaire and correlation with anthropometric variables. Br J Rheumatol 1994;33(11):1060–6.

 
Year 1994
Domains
Concept of constructs Physical function
Population/Disease Disease specific
Originally developed for Ankylosing spondylitis (AS)
Other rheumatic diseases
where can be applied (only if validated)
---
Additional population with no rheumatic diseases No
Language: Originally published in English
Available in Language English, Italian, Swedish
REFERENCE IDENTIFICATION
Author/s Abbott CA
Title Functional assessment in ankylosing spondylitis: Evaluation of a new self-administered questionnaire and correlation with anthropometric variables.
Journal Br J Rheumatol
Year 1994
Vol 33
Num 11
Pages 1060-6
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Other references of interest
Link http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12022361
Brief Description

Measuring disability in ankylosing spondylitis: comparison of bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index with revised Leeds Disability Questionnaire.

Instrument/Tool Translations References
Link http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7981994
Brief Description

Functional assessment in ankylosing spondylitis: Evaluation of a new self-administered questionnaire and correlation with anthropometric variables (English).

Link http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11028846
Brief Description

Reliability and validity of a Swedish version of the Revised Leeds Disability Questionnaire for patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Link http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15757970
Brief Description

Validity and reliability of an Italian version of the revised Leeds disability questionnaire for patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

DEVELOPER CONTACT INFORMATION
Correspondence to Dr Philip Helliwell
E-Mail p.helliwell@leeds.ac.uk
Address : Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine, Section of Musculoskeletal Disease, University of Leeds, 2nd Floor, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Harehills Lane, Leeds, LS7 4SA, UK
Website ---
Available ---
Links

The LDQ/RLDQ questionnaire is outlined in the original manuscript.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INSTRUMENT
Type Of Measure Questionnaire
Brief Description

Patient self-administered questionnaire used to assess disability. It includes 4 sections (mobility, bending down, neck movements and posture), each one of them with 4 items. The RLDQ was published in the same article as the LDQ. The RLDQ excludes 3 questions the LDQ since these 3 items seldom caused difficulty and showed little change with treatment.

Number of Items 16
Range Method 1: 0-3. Method 2: 0-48.
Responses options/scale Yes
Responses are 0 = able to do without difficulty; 1 = able to do with difficulty; 2 = only able to do using unusual movements or gadgets; and 3 = unable to do.
Developed for Both
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Method of administration Self-administered
Recommendations to score

Method 1 (initially described): Each individual item is scored from 0-3 and within each section (4 sections) and the highest score is recorded. The total score is divided by the number of sections answered, giving an overall score between 0 and 3.

 

Method 2: Assigns a score of 0–3 for each item and simply sums all item scores, giving a score range of 0–48.

Score Interpretation Higher score indicates higher impairment or worse function. Rasch analysis has indicated that method 2 of scoring (0-48 score range) provides better psychometric properties for the instrument.
Cut-off points ---
Cut-off points applied to ---
Smallest detectable change if described ---
Smallest detectable change applied to ---
Completion time by the patient 0 minutes
Scoring time by the assessor 0 minutes
Training to score Two methods of scoring described. Method 2 (o-48 scale) has better psychometric properties.
Strengths ---
Limitations Floor effect
OTHER COMMENTS
Other Comments

In a study comparing BASFI and RLDQ the following results were found:

  1. Both instruments gave an even spread of scores across the study group, but BASFI responses were positively skewed and RLDQ responses negatively skewed.
  2. There was a highly significant difference between perceived severity groups for both instruments (Kruskal-Wallis chisquared: RLDQ, 75.1; BASFI, 80.4; both p < 0.0001).
  3. Both instruments gave acceptable test-retest scores (RLDQ ICC = 0.95, 95% CI 0.93–0.97; BASFI ICC = 0.94, 95% CI 0.92–0.96).

Both instruments were found to be unidimensional according to the Rasch model, but the BASFI had more items displaying differential item functioning. Category disordering was apparent with the BASFI but not the RLDQ. However, both instruments displayed disordered item thresholds. Neither instrument can be used as an interval measure. Both measures had “towers” of thresholds whereby several thresholds were marking the same point on the underlying disability construct. This was particularly notable in the case of the BASFI.