@article {187, title = {Development of an index of physical functional health status in rehabilitation}, journal = {Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation}, volume = {83}, number = {5}, year = {2002}, note = {0003-9993 (Print)Journal Article}, month = {May}, pages = {655-65}, abstract = {OBJECTIVE: To describe (1) the development of an index of physical functional health status (FHS) and (2) its hierarchical structure, unidimensionality, reproducibility of item calibrations, and practical application. DESIGN: Rasch analysis of existing data sets. SETTING: A total of 715 acute, orthopedic outpatient centers and 62 long-term care facilities in 41 states participating with Focus On Therapeutic Outcomes, Inc. PATIENTS: A convenience sample of 92,343 patients (40\% male; mean age +/- standard deviation [SD], 48+/-17y; range, 14-99y) seeking rehabilitation between 1993 and 1999. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients completed self-report health status surveys at admission and discharge. The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey{\textquoteright}s physical functioning scale (PF-10) is the foundation of the physical FHS. The Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire, Neck Disability Index, Lysholm Knee Questionnaire, items pertinent to patients with upper-extremity impairments, and items pertinent to patients with more involved neuromusculoskeletal impairments were cocalibrated into the PF-10. RESULTS: The final FHS item bank contained 36 items (patient separation, 2.3; root mean square measurement error, 5.9; mean square +/- SD infit, 0.9+/-0.5; outfit, 0.9+/-0.9). Analyses supported empirical item hierarchy, unidimensionality, reproducibility of item calibrations, and content and construct validity of the FHS-36. CONCLUSIONS: Results support the reliability and validity of FHS-36 measures in the present sample. Analyses show the potential for a dynamic, computer-controlled, adaptive survey for FHS assessment applicable for group analysis and clinical decision making for individual patients.}, keywords = {*Health Status Indicators, *Rehabilitation Centers, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Musculoskeletal Diseases/*physiopathology/*rehabilitation, Nervous System Diseases/*physiopathology/*rehabilitation, Physical Fitness/*physiology, Recovery of Function/physiology, Reproducibility of Results, Retrospective Studies}, author = {Hart, D. L. and Wright, B. D.} }