Validation study of a computerized version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities VA3.0 Osteoarthritis Index

Objective. To study the validity and feasibility of a computerized version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index. Methods. Thirty patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee completed both a paper and a computerized version of WOMAC in random order. The visual analog scaled version of WOMAC, VA3.0, was used. We studied criterion validity by comparing the paper and computerized versions. Results. All patients completed the computerized version without undue difficulty. Criterion validity,based on aggregated subscale scores, was excellent: Pain, ICC = 0.89, Stiffness, ICC = 0.87, Physical Function, ICC = 0.95. Conclusion. The computerized version of WOMAC VA3.0 is a valid alternative to the paper version.