Improving measures of work-related physical functioning.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To expand content of the physical function domain of the Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB), developed for the US Social Security Administration's (SSA) disability determination process.

Methods

Newly developed questions were administered to 3532 recent SSA applicants for work disability benefits and 2025 US adults. Factor analyses and item response theory (IRT) methods were used to calibrate and link the new items to the existing WD-FAB, and computer-adaptive test simulations were conducted.

Results

Factor and IRT analyses supported integration of 44 new items into three existing WD-FAB scales and the addition of a new 11-item scale (Community Mobility). The final physical function domain consisting of: Basic Mobility (56 items), Upper Bod

SUBMITTER: McDonough CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5311026 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature