A client-computer interface for questionnaire data

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Patient-Reported Outcomes
• Rehabilitation Technology

Background:

• The Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) is a widely used measure of health status.
• Traditional paper-based assessments can be time-consuming to administer and score.
• Direct client-computer interfaces offer potential for improved efficiency and user experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficiency and patient acceptance of a novel computerized Sickness Impact Profile (SIP).
• To compare a direct client-computer interface using a numeric keypad with the standard paper-and-pencil format.

Main Methods:

• A computerized SIP was developed, replacing the standard keyboard with a numeric keypad.
• Forty-eight clients at an occupational rehabilitation center completed both paper and computer formats in a randomized order.
• Participants compared the two methods, and efficiency was measured by scoring and report generation time.

Main Results:

• The majority of participants preferred the computer format, rating it as easier to use.
• Computer and paper formats were rated as equivalent in comfort and understanding.
• Computerized scoring time averaged 39 seconds, compared to 309 seconds for the paper format (p = .02).
• Correlation coefficients for physical, psychosocial, and overall scores exceeded 0.90, indicating high agreement between formats.

Conclusions:

• A simple, inexpensive client-computer interface for the SIP is feasible and well-accepted by patients.
• The computerized SIP demonstrates superior efficiency in scoring and report generation compared to the paper format.
• This technology offers a promising alternative for administering the SIP in clinical and research settings.