The WOMAC Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis Indices: Development, validation, globalization and influence on the development of the AUSCAN Hand Osteoarthritis Indices

N. Bellamy

ABSTRACT
Clinical measurement in both clinical research and clinical practice requires tools and techniques that are valid, reliable and responsive. Patient-centred self-reported measures provide opportunity to evaluate consequences of osteoarthritis, that are important and relevant to patients with the condition. The WOMAC and AUSCAN Indices are health status measurement questionnaires that are valid, reliable and responsive, easy to complete, simple to score and available in multiple language forms and scaling formats. They provide opportunities to capture patient relevant information, relating to the impact of interventions, in clinical research and clinical practice environments. WOMAC data have also contributed to the development of proposed definitions for responder criteria and state-attainment criteria in osteoarthritis.

Key words
Osteoarthritis, outcome, measurement, WOMAC, AUSCAN.

Please address correspondence and reprint requests to: Nicholas Bellamy, MB ChB, MD, MSc, FRCP (Glas, Edin), FRCP(C), FACP, FRACP, FAFRM, Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine and Director of the Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine (CONROD), Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Mayne Medical School, Level 3, Herston Road, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia.

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2005; 23 (suppl. 39): S148-S153.
© CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RHEUMATOLOGY 2005.