Sleep Disability Questionnaire in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Study Protocol for Development, Validation, and...

Area of Science:

• Musculoskeletal Disorders
• Sleep Medicine
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Chronic low back pain (CLBP) affects up to 80% of the population.
• Significant sleep disruptions are reported by 70% of CLBP patients.
• Current assessment tools inadequately address the interplay of chronic pain and sleep issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a CLBP-specific Sleep Disability Questionnaire (SDQ).
• To establish the psychometric properties of the SDQ for use in clinical and research settings.
• To provide a tool for better diagnosis and management of sleep disorders in CLBP patients.

Main Methods:

• Phase 1: Domain identification via expert/patient input and literature review; content validity via Delphi technique; construct validity via exploratory factor analysis.
• Phase 2: Reliability and psychometric assessment in 51 CLBP patients with sleep disorders.
• Statistical analyses included kappa statistics, I-CVI, S-CVI, normality tests, regression, Cronbach's alpha, correlation, Bland-Altman plots, and ICC.

Main Results:

• The study successfully developed and validated the SDQ.
• Psychometric examination confirmed content validity and reliability.
• The questionnaire demonstrated utility and efficacy in pilot testing.

Conclusions:

• A novel and robust SDQ for CLBP patients has been developed and validated.
• The SDQ is expected to aid clinicians and researchers in diagnosing and managing sleep disorders.
• Implementation of the SDQ has the potential to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.