1 Asthma and Allergy Associates, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA 2 GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA 3 Allergy and Asthma Medical Group and Research Center, San Diego, California, USA 4 Kaiser Permanente, San Diego, California, USA 5 House Ear Clinic, Los Angeles, California, USA 6 George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA 7 RTI Health Solutions, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA.
Patient. 2010 Jun 1;3(2):91-9. doi: 10.2165/11318410-000000000-00000.
: Effective management of allergic rhinitis requires ongoing monitoring of its control. This article describes the qualitative phase of development of a patient-completed instrument, the Rhinitis Control Assessment Test (RCAT), designed to assist patients and providers in the detection of problems with rhinitis symptom control.
: To identify concepts to be measured and to develop initial questionnaire items to be tested further in the next phase of development.
: A literature review and input from patient focus groups were utilized to generate concepts to be measured in the draft questionnaire. The draft items were subjected to cognitive testing to ensure that the items were understood by patients and to eliminate ambiguity as well as to select an optimal recall period and meaningful response scales. Patients aged ≥18 years self-reporting a rhinitis diagnosis who had experienced rhinitis symptoms in the past 12 months were eligible for participation in the focus groups (n = 39) and the cognitive interviews (n = 23).
: This qualitative process yielded a draft instrument with 26 items assessing five constructs of rhinitis symptom control: frequency and bothersomeness of nasal and non-nasal symptoms, symptom impact, activity interference, symptom control, and medication use. A five-point Likert response scale and a 1-week recall period for each item were adopted based on patient input.
: The qualitative phase of development of the RCAT produced constructs and items for an instrument that is anticipated to facilitate accurate assessment of rhinitis control and improve the quality of care for patients with allergic rhinitis.
过敏性鼻炎的有效管理需要持续监测其控制情况。本文描述了一种患者自评工具——鼻炎控制评估测试（RCAT）的定性开发阶段，旨在帮助患者和医生发现鼻炎症状控制方面的问题。
确定需要测量的概念，并开发初步的问卷项目，以便在下一阶段的开发中进一步测试。
文献回顾和患者焦点小组的意见被用来生成问卷中需要测量的概念。草案项目进行认知测试，以确保患者理解项目内容，消除模糊性，并选择最佳的回忆期和有意义的反应量表。符合条件的参与者为年龄≥18 岁、自我报告患有鼻炎、过去 12 个月内有鼻炎症状的患者，他们有资格参加焦点小组（n=39）和认知访谈（n=23）。
这个定性过程产生了一个包含 26 个项目的草案工具，用于评估鼻炎症状控制的五个方面：鼻症状和非鼻症状的频率和困扰程度、症状影响、活动干扰、症状控制和药物使用。根据患者的意见，采用了五点李克特量表和每个项目的 1 周回忆期。
RCAT 的定性开发阶段产生了用于评估鼻炎控制的工具的概念和项目，预计将有助于准确评估鼻炎控制情况，并改善过敏性鼻炎患者的护理质量。
