- The Ability Questionnaire – AbilityQ
- The Shoulder pain Questionnaire - ShoulderQ
The Ability questionnaire (AbilityQ)
The AbilityQ is used as a screening tool to assess ability to understand/complete a questionnaire. It contains four questions and a set of three verbal/visual analogue scales.
The first two questions require correct identification of “yes”, “no” responses. Three verbal/visual analogue scales requiring identification of “highest, lowest and midpoint” of the scale are then presented. The final two questions require correct identification of “mild and much worse” options from multiple choice options.
The AbilityQ is a self-completion tool but in the presence of a clinician. If necessary, the clinician can read the questions, act as scribe or provide prompts. The response provided by the patient should not be corrected by the clinician. The tool can be enlarged for those with visual impairment.
Following completion of the AbilityQ, the clinician should note the most appropriate use of verbal/visual analogue scale for future use in serial measurement of shoulder pain.
The Shoulder pain questionnaire (ShoulderQ)
The ShoulderQ contains six questions – five multiple choice answers and one set of verbal/visual analogue scales.
Multiple choice answers cover:
- Presence, time, severity, and change in shoulder pain
- Night time pain, frequency
- Pain during therapy, interference with therapy
- Activities causing pain, interactions improving pain
Verbal/visual analogue scale – set of three indicating severity of pain at three time points – rest, movement and night time.
The ShoulderQ is a self-completion tool but assistance from the clinician can be provided for reading questions, acting as scribe. The most appropriate visual analogue scale should be used based on the findings from the AbiltiyQ to enhance reliability of response.
The Ability to complete a questionnaire (AbilityQ) was developed in the early 2000s as a mechanism for establishing physical, cognitive and communicative ability to accurately complete a questionnaire following a severe acquired brain injury.
The Shoulder pain questionnaire (ShoulderQ) was also developed in the early 2000’s as part of the Integrated Care Pathway for hemiplegic shoulder pain. Following administration of the AbilityQ and establishment of the most reliable format of obtaining/completing complex questions relating to shoulder pain serial assessment of shoulder pain and intervention can be assessed with the use of the ShoulderQ.
Source Reference
- Turner-Stokes L, Rusconi S. Screening ability to complete a questionnaire: a preliminary evaluation of the AbilityQ and ShoulderQ for assessing shoulder pain in stroke patients. Clinical Rehabilitation 2003; 17 (2): 150-157. doi.org/10.1191/0269215503cr595o
- Turner-Stokes L, Jackson D. Assessment of shoulder pain in hemiplegia: Sensitivity of the ShoulderQ. Disability and Rehabilitation 2006; 28(6): 389-395. doi:10.1080/09638280500287692
The AbilityQ and ShoulderQ are part of the Integrated Care Pathway for Hemiplegic shoulder pain and have proven use in the in-going serial measurement of shoulder pain.
References:
- Turner-Stokes L, Rusconi S. Stratified management of hemiplegic shoulder pain using an integrated care pathway: an 18 year clinical cohort analysis. Clinical Rehabilitation 2022; 44 (20): 5909-5918. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2021.1951851
- Mandysova P, Klugarova J, Matejkova I, et al. A:ssessment instruments used for self-report of pain in hospitalized stroke patients with communication problems: a scoping review. JBI Evid Synth 2022; 20 (6): 1511-1536. doi: 10.11124/JBIES-21-00047.
Guidelines
The AbilityQ and ShoulderQ tools contain dichotomous and multiple response questions, therefore no further guidance on completion should be required.
If teams are unsure please email LNWH-tr.ukroc@nhs.net
Additional references
Find out more additional references on PURE.
Once the AbilityQ has been successfully completed the ShoulderQ can be administered to obtain detailed information on time, severity and aggravating factors of shoulder pain in addition to any interventions that improve shoulder pain management. If the verbal rating score was not successfully completed the use of Scale of Pain Intensity (SPIN) may be more appropriate to use.