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African Health Sciences Sep 2015Well developed and validated lifestyle cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors questionnaires is the key to obtaining accurate information to enable planning of CVD... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Well developed and validated lifestyle cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors questionnaires is the key to obtaining accurate information to enable planning of CVD prevention program which is a necessity in developing countries. We conducted this review to assess methods and processes used for development and content validation of lifestyle CVD risk factors questionnaires and possibly develop an evidence based guideline for development and content validation of lifestyle CVD risk factors questionnaires.
MATERIALS/METHODS
Relevant databases at the Stellenbosch University library were searched for studies conducted between 2008 and 2012, in English language and among humans. Using the following databases; pubmed, cinahl, psyc info and proquest. Search terms used were CVD risk factors, questionnaires, smoking, alcohol, physical activity and diet.
RESULTS
Methods identified for development of lifestyle CVD risk factors were; review of literature either systematic or traditional, involvement of expert and /or target population using focus group discussion/interview, clinical experience of authors and deductive reasoning of authors. For validation, methods used were; the involvement of expert panel, the use of target population and factor analysis.
CONCLUSION
Combination of methods produces questionnaires with good content validity and other psychometric properties which we consider good.
Topics: Cardiovascular Diseases; Diet; Exercise; Humans; Life Style; Male; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results; Risk Factors; Sensitivity and Specificity; Smoking; Smoking Prevention; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 26957984
DOI: 10.4314/ahs.v15i3.30 -
Nutrients Sep 2016Nutrition knowledge can influence dietary choices and impact on athletic performance. Valid and reliable measures are needed to assess the nutrition knowledge of... (Review)
Review
CONTEXT
Nutrition knowledge can influence dietary choices and impact on athletic performance. Valid and reliable measures are needed to assess the nutrition knowledge of athletes and coaches.
OBJECTIVES
(1) To systematically review the published literature on nutrition knowledge of adult athletes and coaches and (2) to assess the quality of measures used to assess nutrition knowledge.
DATA SOURCES
MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscuss, Web of Science, and SCOPUS.
STUDY SELECTION
36 studies that provided a quantitative measure of nutrition knowledge and described the measurement tool that was used were included.
DATA EXTRACTION
Participant description, questionnaire description, results (mean correct and responses to individual items), study quality, and questionnaire quality.
DATA SYNTHESIS
All studies were of neutral quality. Tools used to measure knowledge did not consider health literacy, were outdated with regards to consensus recommendations, and lacked appropriate and adequate validation. The current status of nutrition knowledge in athletes and coaches is difficult to ascertain. Gaps in knowledge also remain unclear, but it is likely that energy density, the need for supplementation, and the role of protein are frequently misunderstood.
CONCLUSIONS
Previous reports of nutrition knowledge need to be interpreted with caution. A new, universal, up-to-date, validated measure of general and sports nutrition knowledge is required to allow for assessment of nutrition knowledge.
Topics: Athletes; Athletic Performance; Choice Behavior; Databases, Factual; Diet; Dietary Supplements; Food Preferences; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Risk Assessment; Sports; Sports Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
PubMed: 27649242
DOI: 10.3390/nu8090570 -
European Heart Journal. Digital Health Jun 2022High blood pressure (BP) is the commonest modifiable cardiovascular risk factor, yet its monitoring remains problematic. Wearable cuffless BP devices offer potential... (Review)
Review
AIMS
High blood pressure (BP) is the commonest modifiable cardiovascular risk factor, yet its monitoring remains problematic. Wearable cuffless BP devices offer potential solutions; however, little is known about their validity and utility. We aimed to systematically review the validity, features and clinical use of wearable cuffless BP devices.
METHODS AND RESULTS
We searched MEDLINE, Embase, IEEE Xplore and the Cochrane Database till December 2019 for studies that reported validating cuffless BP devices. We extracted information about study characteristics, device features, validation processes, and clinical applications. Devices were classified according to their functions and features. We defined devices with a mean systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) biases of <5 mmHg as valid as a consensus. Our definition of validity did not include assessment of device measurement precision, which is assessed by standard deviation of the mean difference-a critical component of ISO protocol validation criteria. Study quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies version 2 tool. A random-effects model meta-analysis was performed to summarise the mean biases for SBP and DBP across studies. Of the 430 studies identified, 16 studies (15 devices, 974 participants) were selected. The majority of devices (81.3%) used photoplethysmography to estimate BP against a reference device; other technologies included tonometry, auscultation and electrocardiogram. In addition to BP and heart rate, some devices also measured night-time BP ( = 5), sleep monitoring ( = 3), oxygen saturation ( = 3), temperature ( = 2) and electrocardiogram ( = 3). Eight devices showed mean biases of <5 mmHg for SBP and DBP compared with a reference device and three devices were commercially available. The meta-analysis showed no statistically significant differences between the wearable and reference devices for SBP (pooled mean difference = 3.42 mmHg, 95% CI: -2.17, 9.01, I 95.4%) and DBP (pooled mean = 1.16 mmHg, 95% CI: -1.26, 3.58, I 87.1%).
CONCLUSION
Several cuffless BP devices are currently available using different technologies, offering the potential for continuous BP monitoring. The variation in standards and validation protocols limited the comparability of findings across studies and the identification of the most accurate device. Challenges such as validation using standard protocols and in real-life settings must be overcome before they can be recommended for uptake into clinical practice.
PubMed: 36713001
DOI: 10.1093/ehjdh/ztac021 -
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology Jan 2015To conduct a systematic review of studies reporting on the development or validation of comorbidity indices using administrative health data and compare their ability to... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
To conduct a systematic review of studies reporting on the development or validation of comorbidity indices using administrative health data and compare their ability to predict outcomes related to comorbidity (ie, construct validity).
STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING
We conducted a comprehensive literature search of MEDLINE and EMBASE, until September 2012. After title and abstract screen, relevant articles were selected for review by two independent investigators. Predictive validity and model fit were measured using c-statistic for dichotomous outcomes and R(2) for continuous outcomes.
RESULTS
Our review includes 76 articles. Two categories of comorbidity indices were identified: those identifying comorbidities based on diagnoses, using International Classification of Disease codes from hospitalization or outpatient data, and based on medications, using pharmacy data. The ability of indices studied to predict morbidity-related outcomes ranged from poor (C statistic ≤ 0.69) to excellent (C statistic >0.80) depending on the specific index, outcome measured, and study population. Diagnosis-based measures, particularly the Elixhauser Index and the Romano adaptation of the Charlson Index, resulted in higher ability to predict mortality outcomes. Medication-based indices, such as the Chronic Disease Score, demonstrated better performance for predicting health care utilization.
CONCLUSION
A number of valid comorbidity indices derived from administrative data are available. Selection of an appropriate index should take into account the type of data available, study population, and specific outcome of interest.
Topics: Comorbidity; Forecasting; Hospital Mortality; Hospitalization; Humans; Medical Records; Reproducibility of Results; Vital Statistics
PubMed: 25441702
DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2014.09.010 -
Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County,... Jun 2023Assessing food intake of pregnant women is extremely important, because maternal dietary patterns can influence fetal development as well as have either positive or... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
Assessing food intake of pregnant women is extremely important, because maternal dietary patterns can influence fetal development as well as have either positive or negative effects on both the mother and fetus. Thus, the aim of the present study was to carry out a systematic review of the literature on food frequency questionnaires developed and validated for pregnant women, in order to assess their methodological quality and validation process.
METHODS
A systematic review of studies focused on validating food frequency questionnaires for pregnant women was carried out in the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, LILACS, and OpenGrey databases. The selected studies were assessed based on their correlation coefficient in validation and reproducibility analyses, whereas their methodological quality was assessed based on the scoring system proposed by the EURopean micronutrient RECommendations Aligned Network of Excellence.
RESULTS
In total, 10 965 articles were identified in these databases; among them, 14 studies, with sample sizes ranging from 46 to 221 participants, and with participants (pregnant women) at a mean age of 28.68 ± 4.34 y, were selected. Most of the included studies used the 24-h food recall as the method for developing the food list (n = 6), with composition ranging from 46 to 255 items. With respect to the methodological assessment of the selected articles, half of the assessed tools were classified as having excellent methodological quality; their validation and reproducibility correlation coefficients were classified as moderate and high (r ≥ 0.40).
CONCLUSIONS
Food frequency questionnaires developed for pregnant women appear to be reliable tools to assess food intake by this group. Overall, they had good methodological quality and adequate correlation coefficients compared with reference methods.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Young Adult; Adult; Pregnant Women; Diet; Reproducibility of Results; Nutrition Assessment; Diet Records; Micronutrients; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 36965239
DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2023.111979 -
Global Mental Health (Cambridge,... 2019Mental health issues, often manifested as behavioural difficulties, in children are estimated to be high in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) settings. There is a... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Mental health issues, often manifested as behavioural difficulties, in children are estimated to be high in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) settings. There is a paucity of definitive data due to a lack of well-validated tools to use across settings. This review aims to provide evidence on what tools are used and which have been adapted and validated in LMIC settings.
METHODS
We performed a systematic review to identify tools used to assess or screen externalising behaviour problems in children and adolescents in LMIC and assess their cultural adaptations. We searched for studies measuring externalising behaviour in children from 0 to 19 years published up to September 2018. Articles were assessed to identify tools used and analysed using the Ecological Validity Framework.
RESULTS
We identified 82 articles from over 50 LMICs who had studied externalising behaviour in children. Twenty-seven tools were identified, with a predominance of studies using tools from the USA and Europe. Most studies did not describe an adaptation and evaluation process, with only one study following recommended criteria. New tools were identified which both screen and assess externalising behaviour which have not yet been utilised across settings.
CONCLUSIONS
Although tools from the USA and Europe are often utilised to screen and assess for externalising behaviour problems in children in LMICs, the conceptual frameworks behind the use of these tools in other cultural contexts are not always carefully examined. In order to have valid data across cultures, we should aim to adapt and validate tools before use. Provision of processes to validate tools across LMIC settings would be beneficial.
PubMed: 31391945
DOI: 10.1017/gmh.2019.11 -
Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine 2022The cultural and genetic diversity of the Southeast Asian population has contributed to distinct cardiovascular disease risks, incidence, and prognosis compared to the...
BACKGROUND
The cultural and genetic diversity of the Southeast Asian population has contributed to distinct cardiovascular disease risks, incidence, and prognosis compared to the Western population, thereby raising concerns about the accuracy of predicted risks of existing prognostic models.
OBJECTIVES
We aimed to evaluate the predictive performances of validated, recalibrated, and developed prognostic risk prediction tools used in the Southeast Asian population with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) events for secondary events.
METHODS
We searched MEDLINE and Cochrane Central databases until March 2022. We included prospective and retrospective cohort studies that exclusively evaluated populations in the Southeast Asian region with a confirmed diagnosis of an AMI event and evaluated for risk of secondary events such as mortality, recurrent AMI, and heart failure admission. The CHARMS and PRISMA checklists and PROBAST for risk of bias assessment were used in this review.
RESULTS
We included 7 studies with 11 external validations, 3 recalibrations, and 3 new models from 4 countries. Both short- and long-term outcomes were assessed. Overall, we observed that the external validation studies provided a good predictive accuracy of the models in the respective populations. The pooled estimate of the C-statistic in the Southeast Asian population for GRACE risk score is 0.83 (95%CI 0.72-0.90, = 6 validations) and for the TIMI risk score is 0.80 (95%CI: 0.772-0.83, = 5 validations). Recalibrated and new models demonstrated marginal improvements in discriminative values. However, the method of predictive accuracy measurement in most studies was insufficient thereby contributing to the mixed accuracy effect. The evidence synthesis was limited due to the relatively low quality and heterogeneity of the available studies.
CONCLUSION
Both TIMI and GRACE risk scores demonstrated good predictive accuracies in the population. However, with the limited strength of evidence, these results should be interpreted with caution. Future higher-quality studies spanning various parts of the Asian region will help to understand the prognostic utility of these models better.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?%20RecordID=228486.
PubMed: 35958391
DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.921044 -
Archives of Sexual Behavior Apr 2002This paper examines the published reliability and validity of non-disease specific, self-report measures of sexual function. Relevant papers were found in a search of... (Review)
Review
This paper examines the published reliability and validity of non-disease specific, self-report measures of sexual function. Relevant papers were found in a search of the Embase electronic bibliographic database, for English language papers (published 1980-99) reporting on the psychometric testing of sexual function questionnaires. Existing published reviews or collections of such instruments were also searched, and the reference lists of all papers obtained were "back-searched" to identify other measures. Included measures were evaluated in a systematic manner using published standards concerning the validity, internal consistency, and reproducibility of health measurement scales and quality of life measures. Twenty-three self-report measures were identified for inclusion in this review. A further 2 measures were identified by reviewers of this paper after the main searches were undertaken. One measure was found not to be exclusively self-report. Eleven (46% of 24 included measures) did not meet minimum published standards for reliability, internal consistency, and validity. However one of these was reliable and valid in the female-version only. Of the 14 reliable and valid measures, or versions thereof (58% of 24), 2 (8% of 24) met "superior" psychometric standards. Many measures were developed for use with patients in sex or marital therapy, and are mainly suitable for administration to people with long-term sex partners. It is sensible to assume that instruments are only reliable and valid in the often specialized populations in which they were developed.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results; Self Disclosure; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 11974645
DOI: 10.1023/a:1014743304566 -
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Apr 2021Numerous algorithms have been developed to guide warfarin dosing and improve clinical outcomes. We reviewed the algorithms available for various populations and the... (Review)
Review
AIMS
Numerous algorithms have been developed to guide warfarin dosing and improve clinical outcomes. We reviewed the algorithms available for various populations and the covariates, performances and risk of bias of these algorithms.
METHODS
We systematically searched MEDLINE up to 20 May 2020 and selected studies describing the development, external validation or clinical utility of a multivariable warfarin dosing algorithm. Two investigators conducted data extraction and quality assessment.
RESULTS
Of 10 035 screened records, 266 articles were included in the review, describing the development of 433 dosing algorithms, 481 external validations and 52 clinical utility assessments. Most developed algorithms were for dose initiation (86%), developed by multiple linear regression (65%) and mostly applicable to Asians (49%) or Whites (43%). The most common demographic/clinical/environmental covariates were age (included in 401 algorithms), concomitant medications (270 algorithms) and weight (229 algorithms) while CYP2C9 (329 algorithms), VKORC1 (319 algorithms) and CYP4F2 (92 algorithms) variants were the most common genetic covariates. Only 26% and 7% algorithms were externally validated and evaluated for clinical utility, respectively, with <2% of algorithm developments and external validations being rated as having a low risk of bias.
CONCLUSION
Most warfarin dosing algorithms have been developed in Asians and Whites and may not be applicable to under-served populations. Few algorithms have been externally validated, assessed for clinical utility, and/or have a low risk of bias which makes them unreliable for clinical use. Algorithm development and assessment should follow current methodological recommendations to improve reliability and applicability, and under-represented populations should be prioritized.
Topics: Algorithms; Anticoagulants; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C9; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Genotype; Humans; Pharmacogenetics; Reproducibility of Results; Vitamin K Epoxide Reductases; Warfarin
PubMed: 33080066
DOI: 10.1111/bcp.14608 -
International Psychogeriatrics Jun 2015There are several scales used to detect apathy in disease populations. Since apathy is a prevalent symptom in many neurodegenerative diseases, this is an especially... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
There are several scales used to detect apathy in disease populations. Since apathy is a prevalent symptom in many neurodegenerative diseases, this is an especially important context in which to identify and compare scales.
AIMS
To provide an overview of apathy scales validated in generic and specific neurodegenerative disease populations, compare validation studies' methodological quality and the psychometric properties of the validated apathy scales.
METHODS
A systematic review of literature was conducted of articles published between 1980 and 2013. The final articles selected for review were rated on methodological quality and the psychometric properties of the scales used were interpreted.
RESULTS
Sixteen articles validating apathy scales were included in the review, five in a generic neurodegenerative sample and eleven in specific neurodegenerative samples. The methodological quality of specific studies varied from poor to excellent. The highest quality, which had psychometrically favorable scales, were the dementia apathy interview and rating (DAIR) and the apathy evaluation scale-clinical version (AES-C) in Alzheimer's disease and the Lille apathy rating scale (LARS) in Parkinson's disease. Generic neurodegenerative disease validation studies were of average methodological quality and yielded inconsistent psychometric properties.
CONCLUSIONS
Several instruments can be recommended for use in some specific neurodegenerative diseases. Other instruments should either be validated or developed to assess apathy in more generic populations.
Topics: Apathy; Humans; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychological Tests; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 25355282
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610214002221