Tetraplegia Hand Activity Questionnaire

Last Updated

December 24, 2013

Purpose

The THAQ is a 153-item questionnaire is designed to assess arm and hand function in persons with tetraplegia.

Link to Instrument

instrument details

Acronym THAQ

Area of Assessment

Activities of Daily Living
Upper Extremity Function

Assessment Type

Patient Reported Outcomes

Administration Mode

Paper & Pencil

Cost

Not Free

Cost Description

Cost not known

Diagnosis/Conditions

Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal Injuries

Each item scored in 3 parts (0-3), based on:
1) Ability to complete activity
2) Use of an aid to complete activity
3) Importance of performing the activity independently
Activities consist of
1) Self-care
2) Dressing
3) Continence
4) Mobility
5) Eating and drinking
6) Work
7) Leisure
8) Household
9) Miscellaneous
All scores are then summed.

Number of Items

153

30-45 minutes

Required Training

No Training

Adult

18 - 64

years

Instrument Reviewers

Initially reviewed by Wendy Romney PT, DPT, NCS, Cara Weisbach, PT, DPT, and the SCI EDGE task force of the Neurology Section of the APTA in 4/2012.

Body Part

Upper Extremity

ICF Domain

Activity
Participation

Measurement Domain

Motor

Professional Association Recommendation

Recommendations for use of the instrument from the Neurology Section of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Multiple Sclerosis Taskforce (MSEDGE), Parkinson’s Taskforce (PD EDGE), Spinal Cord Injury Taskforce (PD EDGE), Stroke Taskforce (StrokEDGE), Traumatic Brain Injury Taskforce (TBI EDGE), and Vestibular Taskforce (Vestibular EDGE) are listed below. These recommendations were developed by a panel of research and clinical experts using a modified Delphi process.

For detailed information about how recommendations were made, please visit: http://www.neuropt.org/go/healthcare-professionals/neurology-section-outcome-measures-recommendations

Abbreviations:
HR	Highly Recommend
R	Recommend
*LS / UR*	Reasonable to use, but limited study in target group / Unable to Recommend
NR	Not Recommended

Recommendations for use based on acuity level of the patient:

Acute

(CVA < 2 months post)

(SCI < 1 month post)

(Vestibular < 6 weeks post)

Subacute

(CVA 2 to 6 months)

(SCI 3 to 6 months)

Chronic

(> 6 months)

SCI EDGE

Recommendations based on SCI AIS Classification:

	AIS A/B	AIS C/D
SCI EDGE	NR	NR

Recommendations for entry-level physical therapy education and use in research:

	Students should learn to administer this tool? (Y/N)	Students should be exposed to tool? (Y/N)	Appropriate for use in intervention research studies? (Y/N)	Is additional research warranted for this tool (Y/N)
SCI EDGE	No	No	No	Not reported

Considerations

Based on activities in questionnaire, it may not be appropriate for inpatient (acute or subacute) population.

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Content Validity

Tetraplegia:

(Land et al., 2004)

Item generation was established using extensive literature search and Delphi method of expert panel of physicians and therapists to judge item importance
Item reduction was completed after two consultation rounds with expert panel

Bibliography

Land, N. E., Odding, E., Duivenvoorden, H. J., Bergen, M. P., & Stam, H. J. (2004). Tetraplegia Hand Activity Questionnaire (THAQ): the development, assessment of arm-hand function-related activities in tetraplegic patients with a spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord, 42(5), 294-301. doi: 10.1038/sj.sc. Find it on Pubmed