Development and Test–Retest Reliability of an Extended Version of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ-E): A Screening Instrument for Musculoskeletal Pain

Abstract

The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) quantifies musculoskeletal pain and activity prevention in 9 body regions. The purpose of this study was to develop an extended NMQ (NMQ-E) to collect greater information regarding musculoskeletal pain, examine test–retest reliability and the reproducibility of alternate administration methods. Reliability was examined using observed proportion of agreement for all (P_o), positive (P_pos) and negative (P_neg) responses, kappa (κ), proportion of maximum kappa achieved (κ/κ_max), intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM). The NMQ-E was self-administered by 59 Bachelor of Nursing students at a 24-h interval with mean P_o = 0.88–0.98 and κ/κ_max = 0.71–0.96 for 10 dichotomous questions and mean ICC_(2,1) = 0.97 and SEM = 1.05 years for the age at symptom onset question. The NMQ-E was completed via self and interview administration by 31 student nurses at a 0.97 ± 1.14 day interval with mean P_o = 0.92–0.98 and κ/κ_max = 0.76–1.00 for binary questions and mean ICC_(2,1) = 0.90 and SEM = 1.51 years for age at symptom onset data. In both sub-studies, mean P_pos was lower than mean P_neg and low prevalence reduced κ in many instances. The NMQ-E collects reliable information regarding the onset, prevalence, and consequences of musculoskeletal pain and can be administered by self-completion and personal interview.

Perspective

This study presents an NMQ-E that collects reliable information regarding the onset, prevalence, and consequences of musculoskeletal pain in 9 body regions. The NMQ-E can be utilized in descriptive studies or longitudinal studies of disease outcome and can be administered via self-completion and personal interview.