Christine M McDonough1,2, Pengsheng Ni3, Kara Peterik3, Elizabeth E Marfeo3,4, Molly E Marino3, Mark Meterko3,5, Elizabeth K Rasch6, Diane E Brandt6, Alan M Jette3, Leighton Chan6. 1. Health and Disability Research Institute, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, T5W, Boston, MA, 02118, USA. cmm@bu.edu. 2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA. cmm@bu.edu. 3. Health and Disability Research Institute, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, T5W, Boston, MA, 02118, USA. 4. Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA. 5. Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Boston, MA, USA. 6. Rehabilitation Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To expand content of the physical function domain of the Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB), developed for the US Social Security Administration's (SSA) disability determination process. METHODS: Newly developed questions were administered to 3532 recent SSA applicants for work disability benefits and 2025 US adults. Factor analyses and item response theory (IRT) methods were used to calibrate and link the new items to the existing WD-FAB, and computer-adaptive test simulations were conducted. RESULTS: Factor and IRT analyses supported integration of 44 new items into three existing WD-FAB scales and the addition of a new 11-item scale (Community Mobility). The final physical function domain consisting of: Basic Mobility (56 items), Upper Body Function (34 items), Fine Motor Function (45 items), and Community Mobility (11 items) demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties. CONCLUSIONS: The WD-FAB offers an important tool for enhancement of work disability determination. The FAB could provide relevant information about work-related functioning for initial assessment of claimants; identifying denied applicants who may benefit from interventions to improve work and health outcomes; enhancing periodic review of work disability beneficiaries; and assessing outcomes for policies, programs and services targeting people with work disability.
PURPOSE: To expand content of the physical function domain of the Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB), developed for the US Social Security Administration's (SSA) disability determination process. METHODS: Newly developed questions were administered to 3532 recent SSA applicants for work disability benefits and 2025 US adults. Factor analyses and item response theory (IRT) methods were used to calibrate and link the new items to the existing WD-FAB, and computer-adaptive test simulations were conducted. RESULTS: Factor and IRT analyses supported integration of 44 new items into three existing WD-FAB scales and the addition of a new 11-item scale (Community Mobility). The final physical function domain consisting of: Basic Mobility (56 items), Upper Body Function (34 items), Fine Motor Function (45 items), and Community Mobility (11 items) demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties. CONCLUSIONS: The WD-FAB offers an important tool for enhancement of work disability determination. The FAB could provide relevant information about work-related functioning for initial assessment of claimants; identifying denied applicants who may benefit from interventions to improve work and health outcomes; enhancing periodic review of work disability beneficiaries; and assessing outcomes for policies, programs and services targeting people with work disability.
Entities:
Keywords:
Disability evaluation; Questionnaires; Work disability
Authors: Molly Elizabeth Marino; Mark Meterko; Elizabeth E Marfeo; Christine M McDonough; Alan M Jette; Pengsheng Ni; Kara Bogusz; Elizabeth K Rasch; Diane E Brandt; Leighton Chan Journal: Disabil Health J Date: 2015-04-15 Impact factor: 2.554
Authors: Elizabeth E Marfeo; Stephen M Haley; Alan M Jette; Susan V Eisen; Pengsheng Ni; Kara Bogusz; Mark Meterko; Christine M McDonough; Leighton Chan; Diane E Brandt; Elizabeth K Rasch Journal: Arch Phys Med Rehabil Date: 2013-03-30 Impact factor: 3.966
Authors: Christine M McDonough; Alan M Jette; Pengsheng Ni; Kara Bogusz; Elizabeth E Marfeo; Diane E Brandt; Leighton Chan; Mark Meterko; Stephen M Haley; Elizabeth K Rasch Journal: Arch Phys Med Rehabil Date: 2013-03-29 Impact factor: 3.966
Authors: Mark Meterko; Elizabeth E Marfeo; Christine M McDonough; Alan M Jette; Pengsheng Ni; Kara Bogusz; Elizabeth K Rasch; Diane E Brandt; Leighton Chan Journal: Arch Phys Med Rehabil Date: 2014-12-18 Impact factor: 3.966
Authors: Stephen M Haley; Pengsheng Ni; Alan M Jette; Wei Tao; Richard Moed; Doug Meyers; Larry H Ludlow Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2009-03-14 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: Pengsheng Ni; Christine M McDonough; Alan M Jette; Kara Bogusz; Elizabeth E Marfeo; Elizabeth K Rasch; Diane E Brandt; Mark Meterko; Stephen M Haley; Leighton Chan Journal: Arch Phys Med Rehabil Date: 2013-04-08 Impact factor: 3.966
Authors: Mark Meterko; Molly Marino; Pengsheng Ni; Elizabeth Marfeo; Christine M McDonough; Alan Jette; Kara Peterik; Elizabeth Rasch; Diane E Brandt; Leighton Chan Journal: Arch Phys Med Rehabil Date: 2018-12-19 Impact factor: 3.966