Development of a New Tool to Assess Disability in Cumulative Trauma Disorders
| Principal investigator(s): | Brenda Brouwer (Queen's University) |
| Co-investigator(s): | Matt Faris (Queen's University) |
| Sponsoring Institution: | Queen's University |
Results
Test-retest reliability was excellent under all test conditions (ICC range: 0.88 to 0.96). Tracking ability was superior in control subjects (p<0.001) and correctly classified 78% with CTD. Tracking errors accounted for 26.4% of the variance in disability scores and when combined with impairment level 64.4% of the variance was explained.
Objectives
Early detection of cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) is essential to their management but is hampered by a lack of reliable and valid evaluative tools. This study examined whether performance on a manual tracking task was reliable, sensitive, and related to self-reported disability.
Methods
Two hundred and thirty seven subjects (100 controls; 137 CTD) between the ages of 18-65 years participated in at least one laboratory test session. Subjects tracked a target cursor moving in a quasi-random trajectory on a computer screen using a hand-held stylus interfaced with a digitizing tablet placed in front of them. Speed was varied between trials. The Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire was completed by all subjects; impairment was physician assessed only in those with CTD. Subsamples of 25 subjects from each group were tested on three occasions (tracking only).
Conclusions
The psychometric properties of the tracking task and its strong associations with impairment and disability support its utility as an evaluative tool.
For more information:
brouwerb@post.queensu.ca
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