The core outcomes for neck pain: validation of a new outcome measure

Abstract

Study Design: Patients enrolled in a randomized controlled trial were asked to complete various questionnaires, which were then compared to establish validity for a new neck pain questionnaire.
Objectives: To validate a new and brief outcome measure for use with patients with mechanical neck pain.
Summary of Background Data: Neck pain is a very common problem and one that clinicians will be required to treat with some regularity. In today's climate of evidence-based practice and the need to quantify and justify clinical intervention, a quick and easy method to evaluate progress is required. Such a measure has already been produced for those experiencing back pain, but as yet, there is no such measure for neck pain and this needs to be addressed.
Methods: The back pain measure was adapted to enable its use with patients with neck pain. Repeatability was assessed by using a 1-week test/retest on 104 patients who were enrolled in a neck pain trial. Validity was assessed by comparing the new questionnaire against other already well validated measures (i.e., the Neck Disability Index and a Visual Analogue Scale for pain) with 133 patients.
Results: The test/retest showed excellent repeatability with high intraclass correlations and P < 0.001 for each question tested. The Core Neck Pain Questionnaire also showed good validity, giving close agreement to the other comparison measures.
Conclusion: The short Core Neck Pain Questionnaire has been demonstrated to be repeatable and valid as a brief outcome measure for use with patients with mechanical neck pain.

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