Concurrent validity and stability of subgroup assignment based on three levels of pain condition severity in patients with musculoskeletal pain

• Pain screening instruments have been used to identify risk factors for poor prognosis and are recommended for the stratification of treatment for musculoskeletal pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the concurrent validity of subgroup assignment based on the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire compared with reference instruments: The Pain Disability Index, the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale. A secondary aim was to investigate the stability of the subgroup assignment over a defined period of time. Participants (n=40) aged 18-65 years were recruited from five primary health care centers in Sweden. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires. The subgroups based on the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire were predefined to low, moderate or high pain condition severity. The reference instrument data were dichotomized into low or high level based on previously used cut-off scores. Concurrent validity was analyzed with Fisher´s exact test. Stability was calculated using quadraticweighted kappa analysis. The results indicated acceptable psychometric properties of the subgroup assignment based on the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire regarding concurrent validity, and the stability over two to three weeks. To further increase validity, it is suggested that subgroup assignment is complemented with other measures assessing e.g. pain catastrophizing. In conclusion, assignment to subgroups with low, moderate and high pain condition severities based on the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire, could be used as a valid base for stratified treatment for patients with musculoskeletal pain.   

Nyckelord

Musculoskeletal pain

psychological factors

stratified care

screening instruments

primary care

Medicinsk vetenskap

Medical Science

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