Arthritis Impact Measure

Original Editor - Ashmita Patrao Top Contributors - Ashmita Patrao and Rucha Gadgil

Introduction[edit | edit source]

The Arthritis Impact Measurement scale (AIMS) has been developed to evaluate the social, psychological and physical components of health-status. Its main intention is to be used in rheumatoid conditions. It is a self administered outcome measure.[1]It was developed by Robert F. Meenan.

There are different versions of this outcome measure including original version, shortened version, expanded version, short form version, elderly version and pediatric version. [2] It has also been translated into a number of languages including French, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Turkish, Italian.

Contents[edit | edit source]

This outcome measure consists of nine sub-scales:

  1. physical activity(bending, lifting, walking),
  2. household activities (Medication and expense management also housekeeping),
  3. mobility,
  4. dexterity
  5. social activities,
  6. activities of daily impact,
  7. depression,
  8. pain
  9. anxiety. Additionally the arthritis impact scale has components from arm function, work and social support.[3]

Number of items in scale:

  1. AIMS: 45,
  2. Shortened AIMS: 18,
  3. AIMS2: 101, and
  4. AIMS2-SF: 26.

Population[edit | edit source]

The intended population is those with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis in assessing health care outcomes.

This outcome measure can also be used in ankylosing spondylitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, colle's fracture, joint replacement surgeries, haemophilia and psoriatic arthritis.[4][5]

Administration[edit | edit source]

It is a self administered outcome measure, with no training required prior to administration. It takes 15 minutes to complete with the shortened versions taking just 6 to 8 minutes. No equipment is needed for the same. It is freely accessible.

Scoring[edit | edit source]

Every section has a Guttman scale consisting of questions that are graded on the basis of its level of disability on a 5 point scale with a higher score indicating higher disability. The score is graded from 0 to 10 using a standardisation method.

Psychometric properties[edit | edit source]

Reliability[edit | edit source]

Reliabilty has been established using the Cronbachs alpha for the 9 sections including test retest reliability.

Test retest reliability: intraclass correlations are over 0.70[6].

Shortened AIMS: Internal consistency and test-retest reliability are similar to the original AIMS.

Validity[edit | edit source]

The validity has been established for health related components including pain, psychological component and social scales. Responsiveness to change has been established over 3 months as small to high.[6]

Resources[edit | edit source]

AIMS2 original: here


  1. Meenan RF, Gertman PM, Mason JH. Measuring health status in Arthritis: the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales. Arthritis Rheumatism 1980; 23:146-52.
  2. Guillemin F, Coste J, Pouchot J, Ghezail M, Bregeon C, Sany J, and the French Quality of Life in Rheumatology Group. The AIMS2-SF: a short form of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2. Arthritis Rheum 1997; 40:1267-74.
  3. Liang MH, Fossel AH, Larson MG. Comparisons of five health status instruments for orthopaedic evaluation. Med Care 1990; 28:632-42.
  4. Meenan RF, Mason JH, Anderson JJ, Guccione AA, Kazis LE. AIMS2: the content and properties of a revised and expanded Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales health status questionnaire. Arthritis Rheum 1992; 35:1-10.
  5. Short-form Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2: tests of reliability and validity among patients with osteoarthritis. Ren XS, Kazis L, Meenan RF. Arthritis Care Res. 1999 Jun; 12(3):163-71.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Pincus T, Castrejon I, Yazici Y, Gibson KA, Bergman MJ, Block JA. Osteoarthritis is as severe as rheumatoid arthritis: evidence over 40 years according to the same measure in each disease. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2019 Sep 1;37(120):S7-17.