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Measuring quality of life in women with vertebral fractures due to osteoporosis: A comparison of the OQLQ and QUALEFFO

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Abstract

Introduction: Studies comparing the performance of health-related quality of life instruments in osteoporosis are lacking. We compared the feasibility, validity and reliability of the osteoporosis quality of life questionnaire (OQLQ) and the QUALEFFO (test version) in women with vertebral deformities due to osteoporosis. Methods: Three hundred and thirty-eight patients diagnosed with primary osteoporosis and vertebral deformity and a random sample of 304 women from the general population (control group) were recruited. Patients and controls were randomly assigned to receive either the OQLQ or the QUALEFFO, and the SF-36 and EQ-5D. Test–retest reliability was assessed in the patient group. Results: The QUALEFFO had more items with missing data and took slightly longer to administer (20.7 vs. 18.7 min). Cronbach's α and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values for OQLQ domains (α: 0.75–0.91; ICC: 0.85–0.93) were slightly higher than for the QUALEFFO (α: 0.63–0.90; and ICC: 0.80–0.93). OQLQ and QUALEFFO domain scores correlated as expected with SF-36 and EQ-5D domains. Both questionnaires discriminated between patients and controls though the OQLQ showed slightly better discriminant power. Discussion: The superior performance of the OQLQ in terms of administration time, missing responses, and discriminatory capacity needs to be weighed against the advantages of using a self-administered instrument such as the QUALEFFO. A full comparison also requires data on sensitivity to change.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de Salut Pública de Catalunya, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Xavier Badia

  2. Internal Medicine, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain

    Adolfo Díez-Pérez

  3. Scientific Affairs, Rhône-Poulenc Rorer, S.A., Madrid, Spain

    Concha Alvarez-Sanz

  4. Bone Metabolism Unit, Hospital Central de Asturias, Oviedo

    Bernardino Díaz-López

  5. Bone Metabolism Unit, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain

    Manuel Diaz-Curiel

  6. Department of Geriatrics, Hospital de Getafe, Madrid, Spain

    Francisco Guillén

  7. Internal Medicine, Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander

    Jesús González-Macias

Authors
  1. Xavier Badia
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  2. Adolfo Díez-Pérez
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  3. Concha Alvarez-Sanz
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  4. Bernardino Díaz-López
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  5. Manuel Diaz-Curiel
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  6. Francisco Guillén
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  7. Jesús González-Macias
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Badia, X., Díez-Pérez, A., Alvarez-Sanz, C. et al. Measuring quality of life in women with vertebral fractures due to osteoporosis: A comparison of the OQLQ and QUALEFFO. Qual Life Res 10, 307–317 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012200508847

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