Episodic disability questionnaire (EDQ) measurement properties among adults living with HIV in Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, and United States.

BACKGROUND: The Episodic Disability Questionnaire (EDQ) is a generic 35-item patient-reported outcome measure of presence, severity and episodic nature of disability. We assessed the measurement properties of the Episodic Disability Questionnaire (EDQ) with adults living with HIV. METHODS: We conducted a measurement study with adults living with HIV in eight clinical settings in Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, and United States. We electronically administered the EDQ followed by three reference measures (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule; Patient Health Questionnaire; Social Support Scale) and a demographic questionnaire. We administered the EDQ only 1 week later. We assessed the internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha; > 0.7 acceptable), and test-retest reliability (Intra Class Correlation Coefficient; > 0.7 acceptable). We estimated required change in EDQ domain scores to be 95% certain that a change was not due to measurement error (Minimum Detectable Change (MDC95%)). We evaluated construct validity by assessing 36 primary hypotheses of relationships between EDQ scores and scores on the reference measures (> 75% hypotheses confirmed indicated validity). RESULTS: Three hundred fifty nine participants completed the questionnaires at time point 1, of which 321 (89%) completed the EDQ approximately 1 week later. Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency ranged from 0.84 (social domain) to 0.91 (day domain) for the EDQ severity scale, and 0.72 (uncertainty domain) to 0.88 (day domain) for the EDQ presence scale, and 0.87 (physical, cognitive, mental-emotional domains) to 0.89 (uncertainty domain) for the EDQ episodic scale. ICCs for test-retest reliability ranged from 0.79 (physical domain) to 0.88 (day domain) for the EDQ severity scale and from 0.71 (uncertainty domain) to 0.85 (day domain) for the EDQ presence scale. Highest precision was demonstrated in the severity scale for each domain (MDC95% range: 19-25 out of 100), followed by the presence (MDC95% range: 37-54) and episodic scales (MDC95% range:44-76). Twenty-nine of 36 (81%) construct validity hypotheses were confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: The EDQ possesses internal consistency reliability, construct validity, and test-retest reliability, with limited precision when administered electronically with adults living with HIV across in clinical settings in four countries. Given the measurement properties, the EDQ can be used for group level comparisons for research and program evaluation in adults living with HIV.

Neurological update: the palliative care landscape for atypical parkinsonian syndromes.

Atypical parkinsonian syndromes are neurodegenerative conditions, characterised by rapid disease progression and shorter life expectancy compared to idiopathic Parkinson's disease. These conditions inflict substantial physical and psychosocial burden on patients and their families; hence, there is a clear rationale for a palliative care approach from diagnosis. An interdisciplinary care model has been shown to improve symptom burden, quality of life and engagement with advance care planning, in a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative conditions. In this update, we summarise how the landscape for treating these patients has changed and the questions that still need to be resolved.

Episodic Disability Questionnaire (EDQ) measurement properties among adults living with HIV in Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, and United States.

Background: The Episodic Disability Questionnaire (EDQ) is a generic 35-item patient-reported outcome measure of presence, severity and episodic nature of disability. We assessed the measurement properties of the Episodic Disability Questionnaire (EDQ) with adults living with HIV. Methods: We conducted a measurement study with adults living with HIV in eight clinical settings in Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, and United States. We electronically administered the EDQ followed by three reference measures (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule; Patient Health Questionnaire; Social Support Scale) and a demographic questionnaire. We administered the EDQ only 1 week later. We assessed the internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha; >0.7 acceptable), and test-retest reliability (Intra Class Correlation Coefficient; >0.7 acceptable). We estimated required change in EDQ domain scores to be 95% certain that a change was not due to measurement error (Minimum Detectable Change (MDC95%)). We evaluated construct validity by assessing 36 primary hypotheses of relationships between EDQ scores and scores on the reference measures (> 75% hypotheses confirmed indicated validity). Results: 359 participants completed the questionnaires at time point 1, of which 321 (89%) completed the EDQ approximately 1 week later. Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency ranged from 0.84 (social domain) to 0.91 (day domain) for the EDQ severity scale, and 0.72 (uncertainty domain) to 0.88 (day domain) for the EDQ presence scale, and 0.87 (physical, cognitive, mental-emotional domains) to 0.89 (uncertainty domain) for the EDQ episodic scale. ICCs for test-retest reliability ranged from 0.79 (physical domain) to 0.88 (day domain) for the EDQ severity scale and from 0.71 (uncertainty domain) to 0.85 (day domain) for the EDQ presence scale. Highest precision was demonstrated in the severity scale for each domain (MDC95% range: 19-25 out of 100), followed by the presence (MDC95% range: 37-54) and episodic scales (MDC95% range:44-76). Twenty-nine of 36 (81%) construct validity hypotheses were confirmed. Conclusions: The EDQ possesses internal consistency reliability, construct validity, and test-retest reliability, with limited precision when administered electronically with adults living with HIV across in clinical settings in four countries. Given the measurement properties, the EDQ can be used for group level comparisons for research and program evaluation in adults living with HIV.

Clinical decision making in physical therapy - Exploring the 'heuristic' in clinical practice.

Clinical decision-making (CDM) plays an integral role in the work of a physical therapist and has ramifications for patient outcomes and experience. Rational decision-making - acting in a manner that helps us achieve our goals - is influenced by cognitive, emotional, and social variables. The dual process theory helps us understand how clinicians make what they perceive to be rational decisions. Within dual process is the use of cognitive decisional shortcuts, commonly referred to as 'heuristics,' which are either developed through experience or the use of fast and frugal trees (FFT). The use of heuristics in physical therapy practice has yet to be explored. This paper aims to describe this subset of physical therapy decision-making and to identify the typical cognitive biases - the error in heuristic-driven decision making - inherent in this style of reasoning. Common heuristics and their related biases are described and illustrated with vignettes, including the anchoring, availability, confirmatory, and representative heuristics. The authors conclude by proposing interventions to optimize physical therapists' awareness of their use of heuristics in clinical decision-making and to identify and minimize the influence of potential bias.

Assessing the sensibility and utility of a short-form version of the HIV Disability Questionnaire in clinical practice settings in Canada, Ireland and the USA: a mixed methods study.

OBJECTIVES: The Short-Form HIV Disability Questionnaire (SF-HDQ) was developed to measure the presence, severity and episodic nature of health challenges across six domains. Our aim was to assess the sensibility, utility and implementation of the SF-HDQ in clinical practice. DESIGN: Mixed methods study design involving semistructured interviews and questionnaire administration. PARTICIPANTS: We recruited adults living with HIV and HIV clinicians in Canada, Ireland and the USA. METHODS: We electronically administered the SF-HDQ followed by a Sensibility Questionnaire (face and content validity, ease of usage, format) and conducted semistructured interviews to explore the utility and implementation of the SF-HDQ in clinical practice. The threshold for sensibility was a median score of >5/7 (adults living with HIV) and>4/7 (HIV clinicians) for ≥80% of items. Qualitative interview data were analysed using directed content analysis. RESULTS: Median sensibility scores were >5 (adults living with HIV; n=29) and >4 (HIV clinicians; n=16) for 18/19 (95%) items. Interview data indicated that the SF-HDQ represents the health-related challenges of living with HIV and other concurrent health conditions; captures the daily episodic nature of HIV; and is easy to use. Clinical utility included measuring health challenges and change over time, guiding referral to specialists and services, setting goals, facilitating communication and fostering a multidisciplinary approach to care. Considerations for implementation included flexible, person-centred approaches to administration, and communicating scores based on personal preferences. CONCLUSIONS: The SF-HDQ possesses sensibility and utility for use in clinical settings with adults living with HIV and HIV clinicians in three countries.