Euroquest: the validity of a new symptom questionnaire
(2000) In NeuroToxicology 21(5). p.783-790- Abstract
- The new questionnaire Euroquest was designed to study effects from exposure to organic solvents, and it covers the most commonly reported symptoms associated with long-term solvent exposure. Its convergence and criterion validity were evaluated by means of comparison with the two well-established generic symptom questionnaires Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30). Men with long-term exposure to organic solvents and symptoms common in toxic encephalopathy (TE) classified as TE type 2A (n=29) or 2B (n=28) according to their neuropsychological test performance, and a comparable group of non-exposed healthy referents (N=57), were included. The six Euroquest factors obtained by a factor analysis were labeled:... (More)
- The new questionnaire Euroquest was designed to study effects from exposure to organic solvents, and it covers the most commonly reported symptoms associated with long-term solvent exposure. Its convergence and criterion validity were evaluated by means of comparison with the two well-established generic symptom questionnaires Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30). Men with long-term exposure to organic solvents and symptoms common in toxic encephalopathy (TE) classified as TE type 2A (n=29) or 2B (n=28) according to their neuropsychological test performance, and a comparable group of non-exposed healthy referents (N=57), were included. The six Euroquest factors obtained by a factor analysis were labeled: 'emotional lability' 'cognitive disturbances' 'peripheral neurology' 'sleepiness' 'fatigue' and 'sleep disturbances'. These factors correlated well with most SCL-90 scales and with the GHQ-30 total score in the combined TE groups. The combined TE groups were correctly classified to a similar degree by the Euroquest factors 'cognitive disturbances' and 'peripheral neurology' (TE 82.5% and referents 93%) and the SCL-90 scales 'somatization, 'interpersonal sensitivity', 'obsessive-compulsive symptoms' and 'hostility' (TE 84.2% and referents 93.0%), but not as well by GHQ-30 (TE 61.4% and referents 79%). In comparison with the separate TE groups most referents, and a considerably higher percentage of 2B than 2A subjects, could be correctly classified with both Euroquest and SCL-90. With GHQ-30, only a few 2A cases and fewer than half of the 2B cases were correctly classified. In conclusion, the Euroquest factors converged with both SCL-90 scales and GHQ-30 score. With both the Euroquest and SCL-90 questionnaires a similar percentage of the TE subjects were discriminated from the referents, most conspicuously regarding TE 2B subjects, who had an objectified cognitive dysfunction. In a choice between Euroquest and SCL-90, the Euroquest may have the advantage of higher face validity, for TE subjects. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4451430
- author
- Karlson, Björn LU ; Österberg, Kai LU and Ørbæk, Palle
- organization
- publishing date
- 2000
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Cross loading, Neurobehavioral tests, Organic solvents, Spray painters, Toxic encephalopathy
- in
- NeuroToxicology
- volume
- 21
- issue
- 5
- pages
- 783 - 790
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:0033661630
- ISSN
- 1872-9711
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 289b1aa8-c2b8-43b6-942c-7ea68ecbde93 (old id 4451430)
- alternative location
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11130283
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 17:08:52
- date last changed
- 2022-01-29 00:39:18
@article{289b1aa8-c2b8-43b6-942c-7ea68ecbde93, abstract = {{The new questionnaire Euroquest was designed to study effects from exposure to organic solvents, and it covers the most commonly reported symptoms associated with long-term solvent exposure. Its convergence and criterion validity were evaluated by means of comparison with the two well-established generic symptom questionnaires Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30). Men with long-term exposure to organic solvents and symptoms common in toxic encephalopathy (TE) classified as TE type 2A (n=29) or 2B (n=28) according to their neuropsychological test performance, and a comparable group of non-exposed healthy referents (N=57), were included. The six Euroquest factors obtained by a factor analysis were labeled: 'emotional lability' 'cognitive disturbances' 'peripheral neurology' 'sleepiness' 'fatigue' and 'sleep disturbances'. These factors correlated well with most SCL-90 scales and with the GHQ-30 total score in the combined TE groups. The combined TE groups were correctly classified to a similar degree by the Euroquest factors 'cognitive disturbances' and 'peripheral neurology' (TE 82.5% and referents 93%) and the SCL-90 scales 'somatization, 'interpersonal sensitivity', 'obsessive-compulsive symptoms' and 'hostility' (TE 84.2% and referents 93.0%), but not as well by GHQ-30 (TE 61.4% and referents 79%). In comparison with the separate TE groups most referents, and a considerably higher percentage of 2B than 2A subjects, could be correctly classified with both Euroquest and SCL-90. With GHQ-30, only a few 2A cases and fewer than half of the 2B cases were correctly classified. In conclusion, the Euroquest factors converged with both SCL-90 scales and GHQ-30 score. With both the Euroquest and SCL-90 questionnaires a similar percentage of the TE subjects were discriminated from the referents, most conspicuously regarding TE 2B subjects, who had an objectified cognitive dysfunction. In a choice between Euroquest and SCL-90, the Euroquest may have the advantage of higher face validity, for TE subjects.}}, author = {{Karlson, Björn and Österberg, Kai and Ørbæk, Palle}}, issn = {{1872-9711}}, keywords = {{Cross loading; Neurobehavioral tests; Organic solvents; Spray painters; Toxic encephalopathy}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{5}}, pages = {{783--790}}, publisher = {{Elsevier}}, series = {{NeuroToxicology}}, title = {{Euroquest: the validity of a new symptom questionnaire}}, url = {{http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11130283}}, volume = {{21}}, year = {{2000}}, }