Table 3 Concepts included in the refined SSQ and sample questions
Concept (total number of items) | Sample questions and response options | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Steroid dose/duration (4) | What dose of steroids are you currently taking for lupus? | ______mg/day OR ______mg ________(insert frequency, such as every day) OR _______ mg as needed OR □ I am not sure of my current dose | ||||||||||
General impact of steroids (baseline burden; 19) | In general, since you began taking steroids: | |||||||||||
Do you feel that steroids have made your lupus symptoms…? | a) Much better b) Somewhat better c) The same d) Somewhat worse e) Much worse | |||||||||||
How much of the time have you worried about short-term side effects of steroids (weight gain, mood changes, etc.)? | a) None of the time b) A little bit of the time c) Some of the time d) Most of the time e) All of the time | |||||||||||
Benefits of steroids (7) | While taking steroids for lupus in the past 7 days, to what degree did you experience joint pain? | 0 Absent/Did not have | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 Worst imaginable |
Work/productivity (3) | While taking steroids for lupus in the past 7 days, to what degree did you experience improved productivity at work? | a) Not at all b) A little c) Somewhat d) Quite a bit e) Very much | ||||||||||
Side effects (10) | While taking steroids for lupus in the past 7 days, to what degree did you experience increased appetite? | 0 Absent/Did not have | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 Worst imaginable |
Emotions (6) | While taking steroids for lupus in the past 7 days, how much of the time did you feel aggressive? | a) None of the time b) A little bit of the time c) Some of the time d) Most of the time e) All of the time | ||||||||||
While taking steroids for lupus in the past 7 days, how much of the time did you feel self-confident? | a) None of the time b) A little bit of the time c) Some of the time d) Most of the time e) All of the time | |||||||||||
Overall satisfaction (1) | Overall, how satisfied have you been with how well steroids control your lupus symptoms? | a) Very satisfied b) Satisfied c) Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied d) Dissatisfied e) Very dissatisfied | ||||||||||