Hand injuries and cold sensitivity: Reliability and validity of cold sensitivity questionnaires

Purpose. Sensitivity to cold is a common consequence of hand injuries and other conditions, and this phenomenon has a profound effect on health-related quality of life and upper-extremity disability. The aim of the present study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Swedish version of the Cold Sensitivity Severity (CSS) scale and Cold Intolerance Symptom Severity (CISS) questionnaire and the reliability of the Potential Work Exposure Scale in a group of patients with traumatic hand-injury or vibration-induced problems. Method. We translated the self-administered questionnaires into Swedish and performed tests of reliability and validity. The questionnaire was sent to 159 patients with hand injuries. Results. Validity and internal-consistency results are based on a sample of 122. Test-retest results are based on a sample of 100. Good construct validity was demonstrated via correlation statistics. There were high correlations for both the CSS scale and CISS questionnaire scores with single questions concerning cold sensitivity, with the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire, and with the bodily-pain subscale of the SF-36 questionnaire. Reliability (both internal consistency and test-retest) was excellent. Conclusions. We conclude that the Swedish versions of the CSS scale and CISS questionnaire are reliable, and that this study provides evidence of the validity of the scales. The Potential Work Exposure Scale is reliable method of assessing exposure in the workplace.