Content Validation of a Bilingual Screening Tool for Identifying Stage-Specific Cervical Spondylosis Symptoms and...

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Ergonomics

Background:

• Computer professionals face elevated risks of cervical spine disorders from prolonged static postures and repetitive tasks.
• Early identification of cervical spondylosis symptoms and work habits is crucial for effective physiotherapy and occupational health planning.
• A bilingual (English-Hindi) self-reported screening tool was developed to address these needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the expert content validity of a bilingual screening tool.
• The tool aims to identify stage-specific cervical spondylosis symptoms and associated work patterns in computer professionals.
• Validating this tool is key for its application in occupational health settings.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive content validation study involved 11 clinical and academic experts.
• The tool used a progression-based structure to identify Stage 1 (cervical degenerative disc disease) and Stage 2 (cervical spondylotic radiculopathy) symptoms.
• Content validity was assessed using Item-Content Validity Index (I-CVI) and Scale-Content Validity Index (S-CVI/Ave), with modified kappa statistics for agreement beyond chance.

Main Results:

• All screening tool items showed high expert agreement, with I-CVI values from 0.91 to 1.00 and S-CVI/Ave of 0.99.
• Content validity indices met or exceeded the acceptable threshold (≥0.78).
• Qualitative feedback highlighted the tool's clarity and perceived usability for self-reported screening, with modified kappa indicating agreement beyond chance.

Conclusions:

• The bilingual screening tool demonstrated high expert agreement and acceptable content validity.
• It is effective in identifying stage-specific cervical spondylosis symptoms and work patterns among computer professionals.
• The tool's design supports occupational screening and practical application in various settings.