Inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the Danish version of the everyday technology use questionnaire

Abstract

Background: Everyday technologies are naturally integrated in people’s daily life. For older adults and adults living with a chronic disease like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the ability to use technologies for health management has become increasingly important. The aim of this study was to investigate inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the Danish version of the Everyday Technology Use Questionnaire (ETUQ) in a sample of older adults with (n = 23) and without (n = 24) COPD.

Material and method: The ETUQ was initially translated in accordance with the dual panel approach and then administered to a sample of 47 participants. Svensson’s method for paired ordinal data was utilized to calculate and analyze reliability.

Results: Overall, inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the Danish version of the ETUQ demonstrated excellent percentage agreement (PA) (>75%), although for test-retest reliability, nine items demonstrated fair (53%) to good (73%) agreement.

Conclusion: This study supports the use of the Danish version of the ETUQ in a sample of older adults with or without COPD.

Application to practice: The Danish version of the ETUQ is an evidence-based evaluation that can reliably contribute to clinical occupational therapy and research in Denmark focusing on everyday technology use.

Keywords:

• Agreement
• everyday technology
• occupational therapy
• psychometrics
• Svensson’s method
• translation

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the individuals who agreed to participate in this study, and the raters. The authors would also specifically like to thank Eva Ejlersen Waehrens for contributing to the translation process of the ETUQ.

This research was financially supported by Technologies Closely Connected to Citizens’ Health and the Division of Occupational Therapy, University College of Northern Denmark.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This research was financially supported by Technologies Closely Connected to Citizens’ Health and the Division of Occupational Therapy, University College of Northern Denmark.