Validity and reliability of a quality-of-life instrument: the chronic respiratory disease questionnaire.

A pilot study was done to evaluate criterion-related validity and test-retest reliability of the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRQ). The CRQ examines how chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) effects quality of life, and evaluates four dimensions: dyspnea, fatigue, emotional function, and mastery. The pilot study did not establish validity. One of the dimensions, mastery, did not correlate with any of the criterion instruments. Reliability was demonstrated when the instrument was retested after 9 days. The recommendation, based on this research, is that the CRQ may be useful in clinical settings, but not for research.