Most of the outcome question naires had a mixed content reflecting various constructs such as pain and symptoms , sleep disturbances , psychological dysfunctions , physical impairments , and social functions .
STUDY DESIGN A systematic literature review of outcome question naires design ed for assessing functional status or disability in patients with low back pain .
OBJECTIVES To provide a comprehensive overview of all functioning/disability question naires used in recent years and to explore how the main concept(s ) was described or defined in the original paper , the content or the domains of disability , and the measurement properties of the question naires .
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA A number of clinical tools design ed for evaluating the functional status of patients with low back pain have been developed .
Only a few have been review ed earlier , and there has been little focus on the content reflected in the question naires .
Assessment of Outcome in Patients with Low‐Back Pain
The Low-Back Outcome Score has been devised as a new and accurate rating system for patients with low-back pain . Thirteen factors , such as pain , employment , sporting ability , rest required , and activities of daily living , were included ; subjective opinion was excluded . Pain and active pursuits were weighted . Presentation of the score as a question naire , excluding examination findings , eliminated both interobserver variation and observer variation with time . The score was applied retrospectively in a follow-up study of conservatively treated patients and was found to be more comprehensive and more discriminating than the Oswestry Disability Score , the Waddell Disability Rating , or the Waddell Physical impairment Rating . The  Low-Back Outcome Score  is recommended for further evaluation in future prospect i ve studies in low-back pain
Most of the outcome question naires had a mixed content reflecting various constructs such as pain and symptoms , sleep disturbances , psychological dysfunctions , physical impairments , and social functions .
STUDY DESIGN A systematic literature review of outcome question naires design ed for assessing functional status or disability in patients with low back pain .
OBJECTIVES To provide a comprehensive overview of all functioning/disability question naires used in recent years and to explore how the main concept(s ) was described or defined in the original paper , the content or the domains of disability , and the measurement properties of the question naires .
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA A number of clinical tools design ed for evaluating the functional status of patients with low back pain have been developed .
Only a few have been review ed earlier , and there has been little focus on the content reflected in the question naires .