| Name of the Instrument/Tool | Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) |
| First Description |
Fries JF, Spitz PW, Young DY. The dimensions of health outcomes: the health assessment questionnaire, disability and pain scales. J Rheumatol. 1982 Sep-Oct;9(5):789-93. |
| Year | 1982 |
| Domains | |
| Concept of constructs | Disease activity, Physical function |
| Population/Disease | Disease specific |
| Originally developed for | Osteoarthritis (OA), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) |
| Other rheumatic diseases where can be applied (only if validated) |
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), Systemic sclerosis, Gout, Fibromyalgia (FM) |
| Additional population with no rheumatic diseases |
No |
| Language: Originally published in | English |
| Available in Language | Spanish, Swedish, Chinese, German |
| REFERENCE IDENTIFICATION | |
| Author/s | Fries JF, Spitz PW, Young DY. |
| Title | The dimensions of health outcomes: the health assessment questionnaire, disability and pain scales. |
| Journal | J Rheumatol. |
| Year | 1982 |
| Vol | 9 |
| Num | 5 |
| Pages | 789-93 |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Other references of interest | |
| Link | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15818719/ |
| Brief Description |
The health assessment questionnaire disability index and scleroderma health assessment questionnaire in scleroderma trials: an evaluation of their measurement properties |
| Link | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34392975/ |
| Brief Description |
OMERACT Filter 2.1 instrument selection for physical function domain in psoriatic arthritis: Provisional endorsement for HAQ-DI and SF-36 PF |
| Link | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12831398/ |
| Brief Description |
The Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire: dimensions and practical applications |
| Instrument/Tool Translations References | |
| Link | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29974382/ |
| Brief Description |
Mapping between HAQ-DI and EQ-5D-5L in a Chinese patient population |
| Link | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31859893/ |
| Brief Description |
Evaluation of the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index in Chilean patients with rheumatoid arthritis |
| DEVELOPER CONTACT INFORMATION | |
| Correspondence to | James F. Fries |
| ff@stanford.edu | |
| Address | --- |
| Website | --- |
| Available | --- |
| Links | --- |
| DESCRIPTION OF THE INSTRUMENT | |
| Type Of Measure | Questionnaire |
| Brief Description |
The disability assessment component of the HAQ, the HAQ-DI, assesses a patient's level of functional ability and includes questions of fine movements of the upper extremity, locomotor activities of the lower extremity, and activities that involve both upper and lower extremities. There are 20 questions in eight categories of functioning which represent a comprehensive set of functional activities – dressing, rising, eating, walking, hygiene, reach, grip, and usual activities. The stem of each item asks over the past week "Are you able to …" perform a particular task. |
| Number of Items | 20 |
| Range | 0-3 |
| Responses options/scale |
Yes The patient's responses are made on a scale from zero (no disability) to three (completely disabled) |
| Developed for | Both |
| PRACTICAL APPLICATION | |
| Method of administration | Self-administered, Interviewer/assessor |
| Recommendations to score |
For each item, there is a four-level difficulty scale that is scored from 0 to 3, representing normal (no difficulty) (0), some difficulty (1), much difficulty (2), and unable to do (3). There are 20 questions in eight categories of functioning – dressing, rising, eating, walking, hygiene, reach, grip, and usual activities. The highest component score in each category determines the score for the category, unless aids or devices are required. Dependence on equipment or physical assistance increases a lower score to the level of 2 to more accurately represent underlying disability. The eight category scores are averaged into an overall HAQ-DI score on a scale from zero (no disability) to three (completely disabled). The scale is not truly continuous but has 25 possible values (i.e., 0, 0.125, 0.250, 0.375 … 3). |
| Score Interpretation | Scores of 0 to 1 are generally considered to represent mild to moderate difficulty, 1 to 2 moderate to severe disability, and 2 to 3 severe to very severe disability. |
| Cut-off points | --- |
| Cut-off points applied to | --- |
| Smallest detectable change if described | --- |
| Smallest detectable change applied to | --- |
| Completion time by the patient | 20-30 minutes |
| Scoring time by the assessor | - minutes |
| Training to score | Not necessary |
| Strengths | Useful in clinical practice & research, Easy to use |
| Limitations | --- |
| OTHER COMMENTS | |
| Other Comments | --- |