[Measurement methods for self-assessment of the state of health by rheumatism patients].

In the course of the preparation of multicenter clinical trials involving patients suffering from rheumatic diseases, a self-administered questionnaire for the subjective assessment of health status was developed and tested; the pilot study included 186 patients at 14 hospitals. The questionnaire gathered data in the following areas: pain, complaints, psychological wellbeing, depression, anxiety, and functional status. Experts participating in our project thought these parameters to be relevant to the self-assessment of health status. Scales from the literature on psychometry and health indicators were chosen to assess the parameters. In the pilot study the usefulness and feasibility of the parameters and measurements were tested. A revised and shorter form of the original self-administered questionnaire was developed on the basis of the results of the pilot study, and this questionnaire was then recommended for use in clinical trials. The questionnaire is discussed in the light of the recent literature reporting on similar assessment methods for rheumatic patients.