The WOUND-Q Function and Symptoms Scales for Chronic Lower Extremity Wounds: A Validation Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Patient-Reported Outcomes
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Chronic lower extremity wounds significantly impact patient function and symptoms.
• Existing patient-reported outcome measures may not fully capture the patient experience for this population.
• The WOUND-Q system aims to provide comprehensive patient-centered outcome measures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the validity and reliability of the LIMB-Q Function and Symptoms scales for patients with chronic lower extremity wounds.
• To evaluate the psychometric properties of these new scales using Rasch Measurement Theory.
• To assess the reproducibility and construct validity of the LIMB-Q scales.

Main Methods:

• Cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted to establish content validity.
• An international sample of 233 patients with chronic lower extremity wounds participated in a field test.
• Rasch Measurement Theory analysis, test-retest reproducibility, and construct validity assessments were performed.

Main Results:

• Content validity was confirmed, and all 25 items demonstrated good fit to the Rasch model.
• High reliability was observed (person separation index, Cronbach alpha, ICC >0.8).
• Strong correlations with EQ-5D dimensions and confirmed hypotheses for construct validity were found.

Conclusions:

• The new WOUND-Q LIMB-Q Function and Symptoms scales are valid and reliable.
• These scales can be effectively utilized in clinical settings and research studies.
• The scales provide a rigorous and reproducible method to measure patient-important outcomes for lower extremity wounds.