Which questionnaire is best? The reliability, validity and ease of use of the Patient Evaluation Measure, the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand and the Michigan Hand Outcome Measure.

Abstract

The Patient Evaluation Measure (PEM), The Michigan Hand Outcome Questionnaire (MHQ) and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score were assessed independent of their originators for reliability, construct and criterion validity and acceptability, using an ease of use questionnaire. These were administered in random order to 100 patients with different hand and wrist disorders and with different impairments of movement, pain, sensation and strength. The internal consistency of all three questionnaires was very high suggesting redundancy in the questions. All questionnaires were reproducible and valid for finger and wrist disorders, but less for nerve disorders. All had poor construct validity. The PEM was the easiest to understand and complete, taking the least time. Correlation between the scales is high and conversion equations were calculated. All three are reliable and reproducible patient completed questionnaires, but the PEM is the easiest to use. The validity of all is suspected for nerve disorders.