Construct validity of the Danish version of the Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire (WORQ)-sensitivity and specificity of the objectively tested physical capacity items.
Ida Skovborg Verpe, Katrine Baltzer Thygesen, Reuben Escorpizo and 2 others
PMID 37168232WHAT IT FOUND
In 40 job center clients, the WORQ questionnaire matched SF-36 scores well.
But its physical capacity items correlated weakly to actual strength and endurance tests. The tool reliably identifies who does not have a problem, but is less certain about who does.
Key findings
01The Danish WORQ questionnaire showed moderate to strong correlation with SF-36 physical functioning scores.
02WORQ physical capacity items correlated only weakly to moderately with objective tests like handgrip strength and walking endurance.
03The questionnaire had higher negative predictive values than positive predictive values, meaning it was better at identifying people who did not have a specific impairment than those who did.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small, with only 40 participants analyzed out of 68 recruited. The participants were a specific group of job center clients, all not working, which limits how much the results apply to other populations. The objective tests used, particularly the sit-to-stand test, were designed for elderly populations and may not be sensitive enough for working-age adults. The study did not validate the entire questionnaire, only specific physical capacity items against objective measures.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that a high score on the WORQ physical items confirms a specific physical impairment. The study found weak correlations with objective tests and lower positive predictive values, meaning the questionnaire is better at identifying people who do not have a problem than those who do.