To demonstrate the reliability and validity characteristics of a fast, intensively focused functional assessment questionnaire that has been used in rheumatoid arthritis clinical trials by the Cooperative Systematic Studies of Rheumatic Diseases group (CSSRD).
Data from three double-blind, controlled clinical trials by CSSRD were used to examine the properties of the Functional Assessment Survey as a measure of physiologic function.
The Functional Assessment Survey has reasonable test-retest reliability and convergent validity with the Steinbrocker et al. functional class. It demonstrated appropriate divergent validity with other clinical measures of response, as well as discriminant validity.
The CSSRD Functional Assessment Survey is brief, intensive, and focused. Reliability and validity characteristics have been documented.