Detailed Description
Measurement of health status (impact of diabetes on life) in individuals.
An index evaluating the changes in health status or impact related
to the disease in clinical trials, therapeutic intervention, or
the comparison between various groups of diabetic patients. Originally
used to measure longitudinal changes in health status in Diabetics
for application in clinical trials, the DIMS collects basic clinical
diabetes information and contains 44 items in 5 dimensions using
4- to 6-point scale. Asks for recall of symptoms over the past
month.
The report of patient responses allows the physician to evaluate
the patient's adjustment to the disease and to identify lifestyle
problem areas to be addressed.
Psychometrics: alpha=0.60-0.85, convergent validity with Global
judgment of general health by patient (r=0.27-0.47) and by clinician
(r=0.29-0.45) (Garratt et al., 2002)
Norms
| Reading level |
6th grade |
| Norms |
Adult population of insulin-dependent or non-insulin dependent
diabetics |
| Estimated completion time |
10 Minutes (44 items) |
| Scales |
Symptoms, well-being, diabetes-related morale, social role
fulfillment |
When to administer this assessment
No protocol exists for the administration of this instrument.
As with most quality of life assessments, a baseline assessment
early after diagnosis, then regularly until the patient's condition
stabilizes will help the physician evaluate the patient's adjustment
to the disease and adoption of self-care regimes.
Quality of life is a complex concept affected by an individual's
physical health, social relationships, psychological state, and
overall perception of their position in life. A quality of life
assessment is not expected to provide a detailed measure of symptoms
of diseases or conditions. It is designed to assess the effects
of disease and health interventions on the patient's sense of
well-being.
Author
Thomas T. Aoki and G. Steven Hammond, 1992 |
