Development, validation and utilisation of a digital version of the Survey instrument for Natural history, Aetiology and Prevalence of Patellofemoral pain Studies (eSNAPPS)

Yusuf, Mohamed (2020) Development, validation and utilisation of a digital version of the Survey instrument for Natural history, Aetiology and Prevalence of Patellofemoral pain Studies (eSNAPPS). Masters by Research thesis (MSc), Manchester Metropolitan University.

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Abstract

This thesis establishes the feasibility and validity of using digital surveys to collect population-based data. Subsequently, the thesis reports on the utilisation of a digital questionnaire determine the prevalence of patellofemoral pain (PFP) at mass-participant running events within the UK. In Chapter 2, to determine the feasibility creating a digital Survey instrument for Natural history, Aetiology and Prevalence of Patellofemoral pain Studies (SNAPPS) questionnaire, a systematic review comparing the response rate and completeness of digital and paper-based epidemiological surveys was conducted. The review found paper-based surveys to have a slightly higher response rate than digital surveys. As digital surveys offer several other benefits including lower costs per response, ease of data collection and automation of results coding, a pragmatic and practical approach was taken and, the paper version of the SNAPPS questionnaire was converted to a digital online version. In Chapter 3, eSNAPPS was developed and then validated against the original paper SNAPPS. Results showed that eSNAPPS was equivalent to paper SNAPPS and was valid against the paper version in determining the presence of PFP. Subsequently, in Chapter 4, eSNAPPS was utilised to evaluate the prevalence of PFP in individuals from the general population who attended mass-participation events in the UK. In this chapter, a cross-sectional study was conducted. There were over 1,080 responses, and with no missing data within the returned surveys. Furthermore, from the largest study in the UK and second largest in the world, the prevalence of PFP of those within the community attending mass-participant events was 17.4%. The results in this chapter highlighted that it was feasible to collect population-based data using eSNAPPS and that the adaptation of SNAPPS questionnaire has a positive outcome on the quality of data whilst also minimising the logistical demand surrounding data entry and data management. The findings from this thesis confirm the role that digital surveys can play in data collections for large scale epidemiology studies and the role of eSNAPPS in establishing the prevalence of PFP in the general population.