Fries developed the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) to evaluate a patient with rheumatoid arthritis for physical disabilities. This can help identify patients who may require interventions to improve performance in the community. The author is from Stanford University.
Measures, based on experience from the past week:
(1) dressing and grooming
(2) arising
(3) eating
(4) walking
(5) hygiene
(6) reach
(7) grip
(8) activities
Dressing and grooming:
(1) dress yourself, including tying shoelaces and doing buttons
(2) shampoo your hair
Arising:
(1) stand up from an armless straight chair
(2) get in and out of bed
Eating:
(1) cut your meat
(2) lift a full cup or glass to your mouth
(3) open a new milk carton
Walking:
(1) walk outdoors on flat ground
(2) climb up 5 steps
Hygiene:
(1) wash and dry your entire body?
(2) take a tub bath
(3) get on and off the toilet
Reach:
(1) reach and get down a 5 pound object (bag of sugar) from just above your head
(2) bend down to pick up clothing from the floor
Grip:
(1) open car doors
(2) open jars which have been previously opened
(3) turn faucets on and off
Activities:
(1) run errands and shop
(2) get in and out of a car
(3) do chores such as vacuuming or yardwork
|
Ability to Perform
|
Points
|
|
without any difficulty
|
0
|
|
with some difficulty
|
1
|
|
with much difficulty
|
2
|
|
unable to do
|
3
|
For each measure, the activity with the greatest number of points is selected.
total sum for all measures =
= SUM(maximum points for each measure)
disability index =
= (total sum) / 8
Interpretation:
• minimum disability index: 0
• maximum disability index: 3
Additional information includes:
The level of pain over the past week is indicated with a 10 cm VAS ranging from no pain (0) to very severe pain (10).
Indicate the aids or devices used regularly in activities of daily living:
(1) cane
(2) walker
(3) crutches
(4) wheelchair
(5) devices used for dressing (button hook, zipper pull, long handled shoe horn, other)
(6) built up or special utensils
(7) built up or special chair
(8) raised toilet seat
(9) bathtub seat
(10) jar opener
(11) bathtub bar
(12) long-handled appliance for reach
(13) long-handled appliance for bathroom
(14) other
If the person has any measures scored as much difficulty or more, then indicate those measures requiring help from another person:
(1) dressing and grooming
(2) arising
(3) eating
(4) walking
(5) hygiene
(6) reach
(7) grip
(8) activities
