Inter-observer and intra-observer reliability of the harris hip scoring system

Abstract

Objective. The Harris hip score (HHS) is a 100-point scale for rating pain, function, absence of deformity, and range of motion. The purpose of this study is to assess the inter-observer and intra-observer reliability of the Harris hip score among senior orthopedic residents at the Philippine General Hospital. Methods. Twenty-four hips from 20 patients were evaluated using the Harris hip score by four senior residents from the Department of Orthopedics, Philippine General Hospital. All patients were interviewed twice in the clinic and the reliability of the HHS was evaluated. Results. The inter-observer coefficient of concordance (Kendall coefficient of concordance W) was 0.9 for both groups of observers. The intra-observer coefficients of concordance were 0.8, 1.0, 0.9, and 0.9, for the four observers. A 0 value indicates no concordance among a set of raters while a score of 1 indicates perfect concordance. Obtaining a score greater than 0.75 represents excellent level of agreement. Conclusion. We conclude that the Harris hip score has high interobserver and inter-observer reliability among senior Orthopedic residents at the Philippine General Hospital.