Good validity of the international spinal cord injury quality of life basic data set

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional validation study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the construct and concurrent validity of the International Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Quality of Life (QoL) Basic Data Set.

SETTING: Dutch community.

PARTICIPANTS: People 28-65 years of age, who obtained their SCI between 18 and 35 years of age, were at least 10 years post SCI and were wheelchair users in daily life.Measure(s):The International SCI QoL Basic Data Set consists of three single items on satisfaction with life as a whole, physical health and psychological health (0=complete dissatisfaction; 10=complete satisfaction). Reference measures were the Mental Health Inventory-5 and three items of the World Health Organization Quality of Life measure.

RESULTS: Data of 261 participants were available. Mean time after SCI was 24.1 years (s.d. 9.1); 90.4% had a traumatic SCI, 81.5% a motor complete SCI and 40% had tetraplegia. Mean age was 47.9 years (s.d. 8.8) and 73.2% were male. Mean scores were 6.9 (s.d. 1.9) for general QoL, 5.8 (s.d. 2.2) for physical health and 7.1 (s.d. 1.9) for psychological health. No floor or ceiling effects were found. Strong inter-correlations (0.48-0.71) were found between the items, and Cronbach's alpha of the scale was good (0.81). Correlations with the reference measures showed the strongest correlations between the WHOQOL general satisfaction item and general QoL (0.64), the WHOQOL health and daily activities items and physical health (0.69 and 0.60) and the Mental Health Inventory-5 and psychological health (0.70).

CONCLUSIONS: This first validity study of the International SCI QoL Basic Data Set shows that it appears valid for persons with SCI.Spinal Cord advance online publication, 23 June 2015; doi:10.1038/sc.2015.99.