EVALUATION OF A DUTCH VERSION OF THE AIMS2 FOR PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

DUTCH-AIMS2, a Dutch version of AIMS2 and successor to DUTCH-AIMS, is an instrument to assess health status among patients with rheumatic di seases. It provides measurements of 12 areas of health status on scale s for health status proper, satisfaction, attribution and arthritis im pact. We assessed the reliability of its scales in terms of internal c onsistency and their validity according to both internal standards and external standards. Correctly completed questionnaires were returned by 231 RA patients and 131 controls. Internal consistency coefficients for the health status scales ranged from 0.66 and 0.89, but most exce eded 0.80. Within-scale factor analyses produced single factors in all composite health status scales for both patients and controls, with o nly two exceptions. Factor analysis also identified a physical, social and psychological dimension among 11 areas of health. External validi ty was established by strong correlations between DUTCH-AIMS2 health s tatus scales and functional class, laboratory parameters, and self-ass essments of fatigue, loneliness, pain, functional disability and socia l support. DUTCH-AIMS2 is acceptably reliable and valid for use in a v ariety of settings.