Short Health Scale: a valid and reliable measure of quality of life in Dutch speaking patients with inflammatory bowel disease

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology 2019-05, Vol.54 (5), p.592-596
• Main Authors: Coenen, Sofie, Weyts, Ellen, Geens, Patricia, Vermeire, Séverine, Ferrante, Marc, Vanhaecht, Kris, Van Assche, Gert
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Belgium; Colitis, Ulcerative - psychology; Crohn Disease - psychology; Crohn's disease; Female; Health Status; Humans; Inflammatory bowel disease; Language; Male; Middle Aged; quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Reproducibility of Results; Severity of Illness Index; Short Health Scale; Surveys and Questionnaires; ulcerative colitis
• ISSN: 0036-5521; 1502-7708
• DOI: 10.1080/00365521.2019.1616214

Objectives: Patient reported outcomes are widely used in today's clinical practice. The Short Health Scale has been proven to be an easy-to-use and reliable measure to evaluate quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. We aimed to validate this Short Health Scale in Dutch speaking patients. Methods: A total of 157 Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients (46% male, median age 39 years) completed the Short Health Scale on a tablet during the outpatient clinic. Validity was assessed by correlating both individual and total Short Health Scale scores with short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire dimensions and clinical disease activity. Test-retest reliability was assessed in eight patients in stable remission who completed the Short Health Scale a second time after 4-8 weeks. Results: All Short Health Scale items correlated with corresponding short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire dimensions (correlation coefficients ranging from −0.403 to −0.833, all p