Elisabetta DAgata

Spanish validation of Bad Sobernheim Stress Questionnaire (BSSQ (brace).es) for adolescents with braces

BackgroundAs a result of scientific and medical professionals gaining interest in Stress and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL), the aim of our research is, thus, to validate into Spanish the German questionnaire Bad Sobernheim Stress Questionnaire (BSSQ) (mit Korsett), for adolescents wearing braces.MethodsThe methodology used adheres to literature on trans-cultural adaptation by doing a translation and a back translation; it involved 35 adolescents, ages ranging between 10 and 16, with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) and wearing the same kind of brace (Rigo System Chêneau Brace). The materials used were a socio-demographics data questionnaire, the SRS-22 and the Spanish version of BSSQ(brace).es. The statistical analysis calculated the reliability (test-retest reliability and internal consistency) and the validity (convergent and construct validity) of the BSSQ (brace).es.ResultsBSSQ(brace).es is reliable because of its satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbachs alpha coefficient was 0.809, p < 0.001) and temporal stability (test-retest method with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.902 (p < 0.01)).It demonstrated convergent validity with SRS-22 since the Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.656 (p < 0.01). By undertaking an Exploratory Principal Components Analysis, a latent structure was found based on two Components which explicate the variance at 60.8%.ConclusionsBSSQ (brace).es is reliable and valid and can be used with Spanish adolescents to assess the stress level caused by the brace.

Spanish validation of Bad Sobernheim Scoliosis Questionnaire for adolescents wearing braces

Background Adolescence is considered a critical phase, and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) can have a considerably negative impact on a patients quality of life (Payne, Ogilvie, Resnick, Kane, Transfeldt, Blum, 1997). AIS can also produce psychosocial problems through potentially detrimental effects on body image, and bracing can exacerbate this problem. There are currently two questionnaires designed to measure quality of life in adolescents with scoliosis who are undergoing bracing treatment: the German Bad Sobernheim Stress Questionnaire (BSSQ), and the Greek Brace Questionnaire (BrQ).

Correlation analysis between digital photography measurement of trunk deformity and self-image perception in patients with idiopathic scoliosis

Trunk deformity in idiopathic scoliosis has been fully analyzed using different surface metrics but all of them are expensive and cannot be widely used. Recently it has been suggested that some measures of trunk deformity obtained in digital photography can be useful in the assessment of trunk deformity. Some asymmetry measures have been proposed but the relationship between these measures and patients’ self-image perception has not been established.

Validity of a quantitative tool of trunk asymmetry based on digital photographs in patients with idiopathic scoliosis

Methods Front and back digital photographs of patients with idiopathic scoliosis (Cobb>25o) were obtained. Shoulder, armpit and waist angles, in addition to trunk asymmetry indexes, were calculated on front and back photographs with Surgimap software. On AP radiographs Coronal Cobb angles and radiological shoulder imbalance using CRIA angle (Angle between horizontal line and a line drawn between, the right and left intersection points of clavicle and rib cage) were calculated. Intra-class correlation coefficient was used to assess intra and inter-rater reliability. The Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were used to estimate concurrent validity between both methods. Results 80 patients (68 females) mean age 20.3 years (12-40 years) were included. Mean Cobb Maximum (CobbMax) was 45.9o (25.1o-77.2o).All measures had a good to excellent intra and inter-rater reliability both in front and back photographs. Waist height angle and CobbMax angle, both in front and back photographs, were significantly correlated (r=0.42 back/r=0.29 front view). There was no significant correlation between proximal thoracic curve magnitude and any of the shoulder measures. The correlation between shoulder and armpit height angles and radiographic clavicle tilt were -0.44 and -0.41 respectively on frontal view. There was a correlation between trapezium angle ratio and clavicle tilt in both views (r=0.43 back/r=0.32 front view). No other statistically significant correlations between both methods were found.

Health related quality of life in untreated and treated patients with AIS. Study II: the impact of treatment

Background The relationship between scoliosis magnitude, HRQL and Self Perception of Trunk Deformity is not clear. To better understand this, a prospective data collection including age, main thoracic and lumbar or thoracolumbar Cob angle, Trunk Asymmetry Perception Scale TAPS (1), SRS-22 (2,3) and current treatment was started involving all patients with idiopathic scoliosis attending a rehabilitation clinic, 10 years of age or older at the time of consultation. The data have been retrospectively analyzed and are presented in several studies. This is the study II.

Health related quality of life in untreated and treated patients with AIS. Study III: trunk appearance and self-image

Background The relationship between scoliosis magnitude, HRQL and Self Perception of Trunk Deformity is not clear. To better understand this, a data collection including age, main thoracic and lumbar or thoracolumbar Cob angle, Trunk Asymmetry Perception Scale TAPS, SRS-22 and current treatment was started involving all untreated and treated patients with idiopathic scoliosis attending a rehabilitation clinic, 10 years of age or older at the time of consultation. The data have been retrospectively analyzed and are presented in several studies. This is the study III.

Health related quality of life in untreated and treated patients with AIS. Study I: back pain, curve magnitude and trunk appearance

Background Pain or fears about future pain is one of the main reasons for medical consultation. Patients and families use to believe that Cobb angle and back pain are linearly related. The relationship between scoliosis magnitude, HRQL and Self Perception of Trunk Deformity is not clear. To better understand this, a prospective data collection including age, main thoracic and lumbar or thoracolumbar Cob angle, Trunk Asymmetry Perception Scale TAPS, SRS-22 and current treatment was started involving all patients with idiopathic scoliosis attending a rehabilitation clinic, 10 years of age or older at the time of consultation. The data have been retrospectively analyzed and are presented in several studies. This is the study I.

Degree of suitability of information (DSI) for children with idiopathic scoliosis and their parents

Background As parents and their children increasingly use Internet website to obtain information about Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS), a growing need to evaluate the content quality of websites is emerging. Bettany-Saltikov et al. and MacCulloch et al. have suggested some suitable requirements that websites on scoliosis should include. From these suggestions, we have created an instrument to quantify this suitability.

Psychological changes during one-month course of Barcelona Scoliosis Rehabilitation School (BSRS)

During adolescence scoliosis has been considered a risk factor for psychological disturbs regardless of treatment status: a stress response can be roused by spinal deformity and increased by brace treatment. A disturbance in Body Image is an almost universal finding in adolescents with scoliosis, mainly in female adolescents wearing a brace. However, Dekel et al. demonstrated that physiotherapy could improve the adolescent Body Image. The present study focuses on the psychological aspects of young people with scoliosis during a physiotherapy treatment.