The Angina-related Limitations at Work Questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Occupational Health
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Chronic stable angina pectoris frequently impacts employed individuals.
• Quantifying the specific work limitations caused by angina is crucial for patient management and workplace accommodations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the initial experience and evaluate the validity and reliability of the 17-item Angina-related Limitations at Work Questionnaire.
• To assess the prevalence and nature of work limitations in employed individuals with chronic stable angina.

Main Methods:

• A new self-report questionnaire, the Angina-related Limitations at Work Questionnaire, was administered to 40 employed individuals with chronic stable angina.
• The questionnaire retrospectively examined difficulties in performing specific work activities over the preceding 4 weeks.
• Convergent validity was tested by correlating questionnaire scores with SF-36 health component scores and angina symptom reports. Internal reliability was assessed using item-to-total score correlations.

Main Results:

• Over half of respondents (52.5%) reported work limitations due to angina in the preceding 4 weeks.
• Greatest difficulties were reported in physically exerting tasks, handling stress, and achieving a sense of accomplishment.
• Work limitations correlated significantly with poorer physical and mental health component scores and increased angina symptoms.
• Internal reliability was high, with 14 of 17 items showing correlations of 0.75 or higher.

Conclusions:

• The Angina-related Limitations at Work Questionnaire demonstrates promise as a valid and reliable tool for quantifying work limitations in chronic stable angina patients.
• The findings highlight the significant impact of angina on various aspects of work performance, beyond just missed work time.