WORKERS COMPENSATION RECIPIENTS WITH CARPAL-TUNNEL SYNDROME - THE VALIDITY OF SELF-REPORTED HEALTH MEASURES

Objectives. This study compared the reliability, validity, and respons iveness of self-reported measures of health-related quality of life in recipients and non-recipients of workers' compensation who have carpa l tunnel syndrome. Methods. Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome compl eted questionnaires at study enrollment and 6 months later; scales mea suring symptom severity, functional status, and satisfaction were incl uded. The scales' internal consistency, validity, and responsiveness w ere assessed. Results. The internal consistencies for each scale were high (Cronbach's alpha .88 to .96) and virtually identical in recipien ts and nonrecipients of workers' compensation. The correlations betwee n self-reported and objectively measured grip strength were .32 in rec ipients and .30 in nonrecipients; these correlations were not influenc ed by whether workers' compensation recipients were out of work. Corre lations between changes in scale scores and three indicators of percei ved improvement were higher in recipients (.48 to .69) than in nonreci pients (.19 to Conclusions. The reliability, validity, and responsiven ess of these measures were comparable in nonrecipients and recipients of workers' compensation; these data support the use of self-report me asures in studies of workers.