Occupational skin diseases knowledge questionnaire [Der Berufsdermatosen-Wissenstest (BWT)]

Abstract

Recently, cross-linked interdisciplinary prevention concepts have been established including elements from patient education in connection with prevention and rehabilitation of work-related skin diseases. The effectiveness of those concepts has been documented in controlled studies. However, the analyzed outcome-parameters skin condition, skin protection behavior and job-continuation are multi disciplinary and multifactorial results of the interventions. They are potentially influenceable by different confounders and are not suited for controlling and displaying the specific aspects of patient education. Increase in knowledge is seen as a basic precondition for implementing the aims of patient education and is therefore a major component to secure long-term achievements of treatments. So far, there are neither nationally nor internationally validated and standardized instruments for the assessment of disease specific knowledge. The aim of the present study was the development and the validation of an instrument for the assessment of the disease specific knowledge of patients with occupational skin diseases. We focused on the relevance of actions which are relevant for preventing skin diseases. After having developed the test, an accomplishment of a prospective multicentre cross-validation study on n = 532 probands was carried on. The internal consistency for the complete scale of 65 items with α = .907 can be rated as being good. The examination of the construct validity was carried out by a hypotheses checking process. A priori nine hypotheses from the construct or from the results of other test validations were derived and empirically verified. Atotal of seven hypotheses could be verified. The analysis of the sensitivity to change resulted from an examination of 204 health care students. Excellent effect sizes were determined by the pre-post-comparison of the test results. © 2010 Dustri-Verlag Dr. Karl Feistle.