Thoracolumbar Burstfractures, Orthesis or No Orthesis

WHOQOL-BREF is the short version of the WHOQOL 100 and is recommended for use when time is restricted or the burden on the respondent needs to be minimized. This survey has been used in large epidemiological studies and clinical trials. A self-report questionnaire that contains 26 items and addresses 4 QOL domains: physical health (7), psychological health (6), social relationships (3) and environment (8). Two other items measure overall QOL and general health. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale (low score of 1 to high score of 5) to determine a raw item score. Subsequently, the mean score for each domain is calculated, resulting in a mean score per domain that is between 4 and 20. Finally, this mean domain score is then multiplied by 4 in order to transform the domain score into a scaled score, with a higher score indicating a higher QOL. When transformed by multiplying x4, each domain score is then comparable with the scores used in the original WHOQOL-100.

The Short Form (SF 36) Health Survey is a 36-item, patient-reported survey of patient health. The SF-36 is a measure of health status and an abbreviated variant of it, the SF-6D, is commonly used in health economics as a variable in the quality-adjusted life year calculation to determine the cost-effectiveness of a health treatment. The SF-36 consists of eight scaled scores, which are the weighted sums of the questions in their section. Each scale is directly transformed into a 0-100 scale on the assumption that each question carries equal weight. The lower the score the more disability. The higher the score the less disability i.e., a score of zero is equivalent to maximum disability and a score of 100 is equivalent to no disability.

The EuroQol-5D is a simple questionnaire with five domains (14). In the EQ-5D, health is defined along five dimensions; mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain or discomfort, and anxiety or depression. Each dimension has three levels; no problem, moderate problem, or severe problem. In addition, a scoring algorithm is available by which each health status description can be expressed into a summary score. This summary score ranges from 1 for full health to 0 for death, and can be interpreted as a judgment on the relative desirability of a health status compared with perfect health.

Visual Analogue Scale-pain (VAS) is a psychometric response scale which can be used in questionnaires. It is a measurement instrument for subjective characteristics or attitudes that cannot be directly measured. When responding to a VAS item, respondents specify their level of agreement to a statement, in this study pain, by indicating a position along a continuous line between two end-points.

The Institute for Medical Technology (iMTA) Medical Consumption Questionnaire (iMCQ), is a generic non disease specific instrument for measuring (direct) medical costs. The instrument is a standardized self-reported questionnaire. The iMCQ includes questions related to frequently occurring contacts with health care providers and can be complemented with extra questions that are relevant for specific study populations. A manual is available for a structured use of the questionnaire. Cost-prices be applied to the obtained healthcare utilization by the iMCQ by using the Dutch manual for cost-analyses that is written by iMTA on behalf of the Dutch Healthcare Institute.

The Productivity Cost Questionnaire (iPCQ) is a generic non-disease specific questionnaire and is applicable to national and international studies. Currently a Dutch version and an English version of the iPCQ are available. Both indirect cost due to absenteeism as the productivity losses due to presenteeism (i.e. sick, but working) are taken into account. Different methods exist to value productivity. The human-capital method takes the patient's perspective and counts any hour not worked as an hour lost. By contrast, the friction-cost method takes the employer's perspective, and only counts as lost those hours not worked until another employee takes over the patient's work. By applying wage costs the results of the iPCQ can be monetized and as such used in health economic evaluations.

To gain more insight in the effects of a post-trauma status on patients work ability the Work Ability Questionnaire can be used. Originally, the work ability questionnaire consists of 7 dimensions . Recently, it was shown that a very strong association exists between the total Work ability Index (WAI)-score and score on a single-item question (i.e. Current work ability compared with the lifetime best) among all participants. Both the WAI and the single-item question showed similar patterns of associations with sick leave, health, and symptoms. The predictive value for the degree of sick leave and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was strong for both the WAI and the single-item question. So, it suggests that the single-item question on work ability could be used as a simple indicator for assessing the status and progress of work ability in a working population. Considering the extensive questionnaire being used in the proposed study the single-item questions seems more favourable.