Measuring physical function in children with spina bifida and dislocated hips: the Spina Bifida Hips Questionnaire

The objective of this study was to develop a questionnaire to evaluate the activities of daily living that are important to children with spina bifida and dislocated hips and their families. Ninety-six items were generated from a review of the literature and interviews with clinicians, parents, and children with spina bifida and dislocated hips. Items were rated independently for "importance" and "severity" by the children and their parents. The 26 most important and severe items were formatted into a self-administered questionnaire, the Spina Bifida Hips Questionnaire (SBHQ). Parents and children completed 2 weeks apart the SBHQ, the Activities Scale for Kids (ASK), and the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Questionnaire (PODCQ). The SBHQ showed excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation = 0.97). Construct validity was established by correlations with the ASK (r = 0.79, P < 0.01) and the PODCQ (r = 0.84, P < 0.01). In conclusion, the SBHQ is a valid and reliable questionnaire for the evaluation of treatment outcomes for children with spina bifida and dislocated hips.