Back pain beliefs in adolescents and adults in Australasia: A cross-sectional pilot study of selected psychometric properties of paper-based and web-based questionnaires in two diverse countries

Abstract Background Disrupted self-perception of the low back might contribute to chronic non-specific low back pain. The Fremantle back awareness questionnaire is a simple questionnaire to assess back specific self-perception. The questionnaire has recently been translated to German (FreBAQ-G). The aim was to further investigate the psychometric properties of the FreBAQ-G, to evaluate its cross cultural validity in patients with chronic non-specific LBP and to explore potential relationships between body perception, pain, disability and back pain beliefs. Methods In this cross-sectional multicentre study, sample data were merged with data from the validation sample of the original English version to examine cross-cultural validity. Item Response Theory was used to explore psychometric properties and differential item function (DIF) to evaluate cross-cultural validity and item invariance. Correlations and multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore the relationship between altered back specific self- perception and back pain parameters. Results Two hundred seventy-two people with chronic low back pain completed the questionnaires. The FreBAQ-G showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.84), good overall reliability (r = 0.84) and weak to moderate scalability (Loevinger Hj between 0.34 and 0.48). The questionnaire showed unidimensional properties with factor loadings between 0.57 and 0.80 and at least moderate correlations (r > 0.35) with pain intensity, pain related disability and fear avoidance beliefs (FABQ total - and subscores). Item and test properties of the FreBAQ-G are given. Only item 7 showed uniform DIF indicating acceptable cross-cultural validity. Conclusions Our results indicate that the FreBAQ-G is a suitable questionnaire to measure back specific self-perception, and has comparable properties to the English-language version.

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Association of Arm Position and Playing Time with Prevalence of Complaints of the Arm, Neck, and/or Shoulder (CANS) in Amateur Musicians: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study Among University Students

Medical Problems of Performing Artists ◽

10.21091/mppa.2017.1003 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 8-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Laura M Kok ◽

Bionka MA Huisstede ◽

Taco J Douglas ◽

Rob GHH Nelissen

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Musical Instrument ◽

Left Shoulder ◽

Additional Risk Factor ◽

Musculoskeletal Complaints ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Web Based ◽

Arm Position ◽

Amateur Musicians ◽

Playing Time

OBJECTIVE: In addition to known risk factors for musculoskeletal complaints in the general population, playing a musical instrument is an additional risk factor. In this pilot study, the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints in student amateur musicians and their relation with playing posture and playing time were evaluated. METHODS: A cross-sectional web-based survey among amateur musicians studying at a Dutch university. RESULTS: 162 amateur musicians were included in this pilot study (response rate 17.6%). 46.9% of these amateur musicians played with an elevated arm position. Presence of complaints of the arm, neck and/or shoulder (CANS) was not statistically significantly related to arm position, except for complaints in the left shoulder with an elevated left arm position compared to neutral left arm position (OR 6.7, CI 95% 2.2–20.8) The number of hours playing per week did not significantly contribute to CANS (OR 1.0, CI 95% 0.95–1.17). CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot study among student amateur musicians, the occurrence of CANS was not significantly related to arm position, except for musicians playing with an elevated left arm position, which was associated with complaints of the left shoulder (OR 6.7). The number of hours playing per week did not significantly contribute to CANS in this group of musicians.

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How do people in China think about causes of their back pain? A predominantly qualitative cross-sectional survey

10.21203/rs.3.rs-21253/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Yijun Li ◽

Michel W Coppieters ◽

Jenny Setchell ◽

Paul Hodges ◽

Gwendolyne GM Scholten-Peeters

Keyword(s):

Back Pain ◽

Online Survey ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Cultural Beliefs ◽

Mainland China ◽

Energy Status ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Pain Beliefs ◽

South Central

Abstract Background: Low back pain (LBP) is the second highest cause of health burden in China. Delayed recovery, poor clinical outcomes and persistence of LBP are associated with negative pain beliefs about LBP. Chinese philosophies are nested into Chinese people’s daily life, which is likely to influence pain beliefs. However, there is lack of knowledge about people’s thinking patterns regarding their LBP in China. The primary aim of this study was to explore the patterns of beliefs (discourses) underlying Chinese people’s beliefs about what causes their persistent or recurrent LBP. The secondary aim was to investigate the sources of these pain beliefs. Methods: People (n=152) from South Central, East and North Mainland China with LBP completed an online survey about what they believed caused their persistent or recurrent LBP and where these understandings came from. Potential causes of persistent or recurrent LBP were explored qualitatively using discourse analysis. The sources of these discourses were assessed by descriptive statistics with conventional content analysis. Results: Five discourses were identified to underpin participants’ beliefs about what caused their persistent or recurrent LBP, namely: (1) biomedical problems (66.4%), (2) unbalanced lifestyle (48.7%), (3) menstruation and ‘kidney’ status (9.2%), (4) the ‘Five Elements’ imbalance (7.9%), and (5) energy status (5.9%). Most participants responded that their pain beliefs were based on information derived from healthcare professionals (59.2%), followed by the internet (24.3%) and family (23.0%). Conclusions: Chinese people from moderately and well-developed parts of Mainland China think predominantly in line with a Western biomedical viewpoint about their LBP. Traditional Chinese medicine related pain beliefs were evident on contemporary Chinese society’s understandings of LBP. These cultural beliefs could be relevant to consider in LBP management and involve healthcare professionals, family and patient in this process.

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Psychometric Validation and Cultural Adaptation of the Simplified Chinese eHealth Literacy Scale: Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.18613 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Richard Huan Xu ◽

Lingming Zhou ◽

Sabrina Yujun Lu ◽

Eliza Laiyi Wong ◽

Jinghui Chang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Status ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Internal Consistency ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Internal Consistency Reliability ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Web Based ◽

Ehealth Literacy ◽

Simplified Chinese ◽

Overall Health Status

BACKGROUND The rapid proliferation of web-based information on health and health care has profoundly changed individuals’ health-seeking behaviors, with individuals choosing the internet as their first source of information on their health conditions before seeking professional advice. However, barriers to the evaluation of people’s eHealth literacy present some difficulties for decision makers with respect to encouraging and empowering patients to use web-based resources. OBJECTIVE This study aims to examine the psychometric properties of a simplified Chinese version of the eHealth Literacy Scale (SC-eHEALS). METHODS Data used for analysis were obtained from a cross-sectional multicenter survey. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the structure of the SC-eHEALS. Correlations between the SC-eHEALS and ICEpop capability measure for adults (ICECAP-A) items and overall health status were estimated to assess the convergent validity. Internal consistency reliability was confirmed using Cronbach alpha (α), McDonald omega (ω), and split-half reliability (λ). A general partial credit model was used to perform the item response theory (IRT) analysis. Item difficulty, discrimination, and fit were reported. Item-category characteristic curves (ICCs) and item and test information curves were used to graphically assess the validity and reliability based on the IRT analysis. Differential item functioning (DIF) was used to check for possible item bias on gender and age. RESULTS A total of 574 respondents from 5 cities in China completed the SC-eHEALS. CFA confirmed that the one-factor model was acceptable. The internal consistency reliability was good, with α=0.96, ω=0.92, and λ=0.96. The item-total correlation coefficients ranged between 0.86 and 0.91. Items 8 and 4 showed the lowest and highest mean scores, respectively. The correlation coefficients between the SC-eHEALS and ICECAP-A items and overall health status were significant, but the strength was mild. The discrimination of SC-eHEALS items ranged between 2.63 and 5.42. ICCs indicated that the order of categories’ thresholds for all items was as expected. In total, 70% of the information provided by SC-eHEALS was below the average level of the latent trait. DIF was found for item 6 on age. CONCLUSIONS The SC-eHEALS has been demonstrated to have good psychometric properties and can therefore be used to evaluate people’s eHealth literacy in China. CLINICALTRIAL

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Exploring Differences in Pain Beliefs Within and Between a Large Nonclinical (Workplace) Population and a Clinical (Chronic Low Back Pain) Population Using the Pain Beliefs Questionnaire

Physical Therapy ◽

10.2522/ptj.20120429 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 93 (12) ◽

pp. 1615-1624 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Andrew J. Baird ◽

Roger A. Haslam

Keyword(s):

Factor Analysis ◽

Low Back Pain ◽

Back Pain ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Low Back ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Pain Beliefs ◽

Nonclinical Sample ◽

The Relationship

Background Beliefs, cognitions, and behaviors relating to pain can be associated with a range of negative outcomes. In patients, certain beliefs are associated with increased levels of pain and related disability. There are few data, however, showing the extent to which beliefs of patients differ from those of the general population. Objective This study explored pain beliefs in a large nonclinical population and a chronic low back pain (CLBP) sample using the Pain Beliefs Questionnaire (PBQ) to identify differences in scores and factor structures between and within the samples. Design This was a cross-sectional study. Methods The samples comprised patients attending a rehabilitation program and respondents to a workplace survey. Pain beliefs were assessed using the PBQ, which incorporates 2 scales: organic and psychological. Exploratory factor analysis was used to explore variations in factor structure within and between samples. The relationship between the 2 scales also was examined. Results Patients reported higher organic scores and lower psychological scores than the nonclinical sample. Within the nonclinical sample, those who reported frequent pain scored higher on the organic scale than those who did not. Factor analysis showed variations in relation to the presence of pain. The relationship between scales was stronger in those not reporting frequent pain. Limitations This was a cross-sectional study; therefore, no causal inferences can be made. Conclusions Patients experiencing CLBP adopt a more biomedical perspective on pain than nonpatients. The presence of pain is also associated with increased biomedical thinking in a nonclinical sample. However, the impact is not only on the strength of beliefs, but also on the relationship between elements of belief and the underlying belief structure.

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How do people in China think about causes of their back pain? A predominantly qualitative cross-sectional survey

10.21203/rs.3.rs-21253/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Yijun Li ◽

Michel W Coppieters ◽

Jenny Setchell ◽

Paul Hodges ◽

Gwendolyne GM Scholten-Peeters

Keyword(s):

Back Pain ◽

Online Survey ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Cultural Beliefs ◽

Mainland China ◽

Energy Status ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Pain Beliefs ◽

South Central

Abstract Background: Low back pain (LBP) is the second highest cause of health burden in China. Delayed recovery, poor clinical outcomes and persistence of LBP are associated with negative pain beliefs about LBP. Chinese philosophies are nested into the daily life of people in China, which is likely to influence pain beliefs. However, there is lack of knowledge about people’s discourses regarding their LBP in China. The primary aim of this study was to explore the discourses underlying the beliefs of people in China about what causes their persistent or recurrent LBP. The secondary aim was to investigate the sources of these pain beliefs. Methods: People (n=152) from South Central, East and North Mainland China with LBP completed an online survey about what they believed caused their persistent or recurrent LBP and where these understandings came from. Potential causes of persistent or recurrent LBP were explored qualitatively using discourse analysis. The sources of these discourses were assessed by descriptive statistics with conventional content analysis. Results: Five discourses were identified to underpin participants’ beliefs about what caused their persistent or recurrent LBP, namely: (1) biomedical problems (66.4%), (2) unbalanced lifestyle (48.7%), (3) menstruation and ‘kidney’ status (9.2%), (4) the ‘Five Elements’ imbalance (7.9%), and (5) energy status (5.9%). Most participants responded that their pain beliefs were based on information derived from healthcare professionals (59.2%), followed by the internet (24.3%) and family (23.0%). Conclusions: People from moderately and well-developed parts of Mainland China think predominantly in line with a Western biomedical viewpoint about their LBP. Traditional Chinese medicine related pain beliefs mainly to the concept of ‘balance’ were evident on contemporary Chinese society’s understandings of LBP. These cultural beliefs could be relevant to consider in LBP management and involve healthcare professionals, family and patient in this process.

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Attitudes on vaccination among Portuguese travelers and Brazilian migrans: A pilot study in Portugal

Acta Medica Saliniana ◽

10.5457/ams.v49i2.515 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 49 ◽

Author(s):

Ricardo Igreja ◽

Katy Barros ◽

Rosa Teodosio

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Protective Effect ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Web Based ◽

The Mean ◽

Self Administered Questionnaire ◽

Travel Clinic ◽

Better Than

Introduction: Anti-vaccination movements exist in Europe and it may reduce adherence to international vaccination.Objectives:To evaluate attitudes on vaccination among Portuguese travelers and Brazilian migrants in Portugal.Material and Methods:Between May and June 2019 a cross-sectional survey was carried out in the Travel Clinic of the Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine of Lisbon. A self-administered questionnaire was applied after medical consultation. Travelers were asked about their attitudes to vaccines. An anonymous web-based survey was sent to Brazilian migrants living in Portugal for at least 6 months.Results: 55 Portuguese (P) travelers and 22 Brazilian (B) migrants answered the questionnaire. 47.3% of Portuguese travelers were male; the mean age was 33 years; reason for travel: tourism (43.6%) or business (30.9%). 31.8% of Brazilian migrants were male and the mean age was 44 years; 71.4% were living in Portugal for ≤ 2 years. Attitudes towards vaccines: 64.8% P and 68.2% B prefer to vaccine even when the risk of acquire a disease is low; 64.1% P and 95.5% B consider that the resistance acquired by disease is better than resistance acquired by vaccine; 75.5% P and 77.3% B prefer to vaccine even when diseases are not severe; 5.6% P and 13.6% B don’t take vaccines because they are afraid of side effects.About the reasons to accept a vaccine, travelers/migrants consider very important to trust in the doctor (100% P, 95.4% B), and the excellent protective effect of a vaccine (98.1% P, 90.9% B).Conclusions: Portuguese travelers and Brazilian migrants in Portugal seem to have a favorable attitude towards vaccination, despite the anti-vaccination movements in Europe. They believe that trust in the doctor and excellent protection of the vaccines are reasons to accept it. The quality of traveler's advice may maintain/increase adherence to vaccination.

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Psychometric Validation and Cultural Adaptation of the Simplified Chinese eHealth Literacy Scale: Cross-Sectional Study

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/18613 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (12) ◽

pp. e18613

Author(s):

Richard Huan Xu ◽

Lingming Zhou ◽

Sabrina Yujun Lu ◽

Eliza Laiyi Wong ◽

Jinghui Chang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Status ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Internal Consistency ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Internal Consistency Reliability ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Web Based ◽

Ehealth Literacy ◽

Simplified Chinese ◽

Overall Health Status

Background The rapid proliferation of web-based information on health and health care has profoundly changed individuals’ health-seeking behaviors, with individuals choosing the internet as their first source of information on their health conditions before seeking professional advice. However, barriers to the evaluation of people’s eHealth literacy present some difficulties for decision makers with respect to encouraging and empowering patients to use web-based resources. Objective This study aims to examine the psychometric properties of a simplified Chinese version of the eHealth Literacy Scale (SC-eHEALS). Methods Data used for analysis were obtained from a cross-sectional multicenter survey. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the structure of the SC-eHEALS. Correlations between the SC-eHEALS and ICEpop capability measure for adults (ICECAP-A) items and overall health status were estimated to assess the convergent validity. Internal consistency reliability was confirmed using Cronbach alpha (α), McDonald omega (ω), and split-half reliability (λ). A general partial credit model was used to perform the item response theory (IRT) analysis. Item difficulty, discrimination, and fit were reported. Item-category characteristic curves (ICCs) and item and test information curves were used to graphically assess the validity and reliability based on the IRT analysis. Differential item functioning (DIF) was used to check for possible item bias on gender and age. Results A total of 574 respondents from 5 cities in China completed the SC-eHEALS. CFA confirmed that the one-factor model was acceptable. The internal consistency reliability was good, with α=0.96, ω=0.92, and λ=0.96. The item-total correlation coefficients ranged between 0.86 and 0.91. Items 8 and 4 showed the lowest and highest mean scores, respectively. The correlation coefficients between the SC-eHEALS and ICECAP-A items and overall health status were significant, but the strength was mild. The discrimination of SC-eHEALS items ranged between 2.63 and 5.42. ICCs indicated that the order of categories’ thresholds for all items was as expected. In total, 70% of the information provided by SC-eHEALS was below the average level of the latent trait. DIF was found for item 6 on age. Conclusions The SC-eHEALS has been demonstrated to have good psychometric properties and can therefore be used to evaluate people’s eHealth literacy in China.

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Psychometric Properties of a Modified KINDL-R Questionnaire for Adolescents and Adults, and Construction of a Brief Version, the KINDL-A(dult)B(rief) Questionnaire, KINDL-AB

Acta Haematologica ◽

10.1159/000490408 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 140 (1) ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Bruno Neuner ◽

Henning Krampe ◽

William J. McCarthy ◽

Sarah Reinke ◽

Dorothee Kowalski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Construct Validity ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Factor Structure ◽

Goodness Of Fit ◽

Bleeding Disorders ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factor Loadings ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

Adolescents And Adults

Background/Aims: The generic quality of life KINDL-R questionnaire is validated for use in children/adolescents ≤16 years. The aim of this cross-sectional investigation was to modify the KINDL-R questionnaire for use in adults and to validate its psychometric properties. Methods: Five items of the KINDL-R questionnaire were adapted and the newly developed KINDL-A(dult) questionnaire administered to 255 patients with hereditary and acquired bleeding disorders (mean age 53 years). Its internal consistency and convergent and divergent construct validity were investigated and confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the latent factor structure. Results: The KINDL-A questionnaire showed satisfactory reliability, varying construct validity, but inconclusive factor structure. The KINDL-AB(rief) was developed by removing half of the items and combining 2 sub-axes. This led to factor loadings between 0.62 and 0.91 and increased overall fit (Goodness of fit > 0.8 and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation, RMSEA, < 0.08). Results were validated in 966 healthy blood donors (mean age 38 years). In this group, the KINDL-AB questionnaire showed factor loadings between 0.43 and 0.77, Goodness of fit > 0.95 and RMSEA < 0.05. Conclusions: The new KINDL-AB suggests sufficient to good psychometric properties in adult patients with hereditary and acquired bleeding disorders.

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