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This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning-based short measure to assess 5 functions (the ML-5F) (activities of daily living [ADL], balance, upper extremity [UE] and lower extremity [LE] motor function, and mobility) in patients with stroke.Secondary data from a previous study. A follow-up study assessed patients with stroke using the Barthel Index (BI), Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke (PASS), and Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement (STREAM) at hospital admission and discharge.A rehabilitation unit in a medical center.Patients (N=307) with stroke.Not applicable.The BI, PASS, and STREAM.A machine learning algorithm, Extreme Gradient Boosting, was used to select 15 items from the BI, PASS, and STREAM, and transformed the raw scores of the selected items into the scores of the ML-5F. The ML-5F demonstrated good concurrent validity (Pearson's r, 0.88-0.98) and responsiveness (standardized response mean, 0.28-1.01).The ML-5F comprises only 15 items but demonstrates sufficient concurrent validity and responsiveness to assess ADL, balance, UE and LE functions, and mobility in patients with stroke. The ML-5F shows great potential as an efficient outcome measure in clinical settings.

Importance: Several short forms of the Stroke Impact Scale Version 3.0 (SIS 3.0) have been proposed in order to decrease its administration time of about 20 min. However, none of the short-form scores are comparable to those of the original measure. Objective: To develop a short-form SIS 3.0 using a machine learning algorithm (ML–SIS). Design: We developed the ML–SIS in three stages. First, we calculated the frequencies of items having the highest contribution to predicting the original domain scores across 50 deep neural networks. Second, we iteratively selected the items showing the highest frequency until the coefficient of determination (R2) of each domain was ≥.90. Third, we examined the comparability and concurrent and convergent validity of the ML–SIS. Setting: Hospitals. Participants: We extracted complete data for 1,010 patients from an existing data set. Results: Twenty-eight items were selected for the ML–SIS. High average R2s (.90–.96) and small average residuals (mean absolute errors and root-mean-square errors = 0.49–2.84) indicate good comparability. High correlations (rs = .95–.98) between the eight domain scores of the ML–SIS and the SIS 3.0 indicate sufficient concurrent validity. Similar interdomain correlations between the two measures indicate satisfactory convergent validity. Conclusions and Relevance: The ML–SIS uses about half of the items in the SIS 3.0, has an estimated administration time of 10 min, and provides valid scores comparable to those of the original measure. Thus, the ML–SIS may be an efficient alternative to the SIS 3.0. What This Article Adds: The ML–SIS, a short form of the SIS 3.0 developed using a machine learning algorithm, shows good potential to be an efficient and informative measure for clinical settings, providing scores that are valid and comparable to those of the original measure.

This study determined whether higher screen time was associated with the development of 3-year-old children in Taiwan. It also examined whether differences would be found between television and other screen-based media in the probability of lagged development.We examined 2139 children aged 3 years and their parents. The association between daily screen time was assessed using multiple logistic regression analysis. All the odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using the rates of lagged developmental achievement, with the group who used screens for less than 1 h a day as the reference category. Screen time comprised television and other screen-based media, such as smartphones, touch screens, computers and laptops.Children who used screens for more than 3 h per day had the lowest developmental scores and highest probabilities of lagged development. The children who used other screen-based media for more than 1 h per day had greater probabilities of lagged developmental achievements (ORs 1.85-4.98, all p 0.05) than those who watched television for the same amount of time (OR 1.41-2.77, all p 0.05).Increased screen time was associated with higher probabilities of lagged developmental achievement in multiple development domains in 3-year-old children, particularly other screen-based media.

Background and purpose Previous evidence that the Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke (PASS) and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) have similar responsiveness is doubtful. Compared with the BBS, the PASS has more items assessing basic balance abilities (such as postural transition during lying and sitting), so it should be more likely to detect changes in patients with severe balance deficits. We aimed to compare the responsiveness of the PASS and the BBS in patients with stroke who have severe balance deficits. Methods The PASS and BBS scores of 49 patients with severe balance deficits at 14 and 30 days after stroke were retrieved. The group-level responsiveness was examined with the standardized response mean (SRM). The individual-level responsiveness was examined by the proportion of patients who achieved clinically significant improvements (ie, their pre-post change scores in the PASS/BBS exceeded the minimal detectable change with 95% confidence of each measure). The responsiveness of the 2 measures was compared using the bootstrap approach. Results and discussion The comparisons of responsiveness showed significant differences between the PASS and the BBS at both the group and individual levels. At the group level, the PASS indicated moderate changes in balance function (SRM = 0.79), but the BBS indicated only small changes (SRM = 0.39). At the individual level, the PASS showed that 42.9% of patients had clinically significant improvements, while the BBS showed that only 6.1% of patients had clinically significant improvements. Conclusions Compared with the BBS, the PASS was better able to detect balance improvements in patients having severe balance deficits. The PASS is recommended as an outcome measure to detect change in balance in patients with stroke who have severe balance deficits.

Objective The Fugl-Meyer motor scale (FM) is a well-validated measure for assessing upper extremity and lower extremity motor functions in people with stroke. The FM contains numerous items (50), which reduces its clinical usability. The purpose of this study was to develop a short form of the FM for people with stroke using a machine-learning methodology (FM-ML) and compare the efficiency (ie, number of items) and psychometric properties of the FM-ML with those of other FM versions, including the original FM, the 37-item FM, and the 12-item FM. Methods This observational study with follow-up used secondary data analysis. For developing the FM-ML, the random lasso method of ML was used to select the 10 most informative items (in terms of index of importance). Next, the scores of the FM-ML were calculated using an artificial neural network. Finally, the concurrent validity, predictive validity, responsiveness, and test–retest reliability of all FM versions were examined. Results The FM-ML used fewer items (80% fewer than the FM, 73% fewer than the 37-item FM, and 17% fewer than the 12-item FM) to achieve psychometric properties comparable with those of the other FM versions (concurrent validity: Pearson r = 0.95–0.99 vs 0.91–0.97; responsiveness: Pearson r = 0.78–0.91 vs 0.33–0.72; and test–retest reliability: intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.88–0.92 vs 0.93–0.98). Conclusion The findings preliminarily support the efficiency and psychometric properties of the 10-item FM-ML. Impact The FM-ML has potential to substantially improve the efficiency of motor function assessments in patients with stroke.

Importance: The Stroke Impact Scale 3.0 appears to be a promising outcome measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for clients with stroke. However, because the factorial validity of the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0 remains unclear, its validity is limited. Objective: To examine the underlying structure of the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0 by comparing the currently available eight- and four-domain structures simultaneously. Design: Secondary data analysis of responses to the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0 from a previous psychometric validation study. Setting: Five general hospitals in northern and southern Taiwan. Participants: Two hundred sixty-three patients with stroke from rehabilitation wards (inpatients) and neurology and rehabilitation clinics (outpatients). Outcomes and Measures: Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the eight- and four-domain structures of the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0. Four fit indices were considered simultaneously to examine the model fits of both structures. Results: The eight- and four-domain structures of the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0 were not supported by all four indices (χ2/df = 2.7 and 5.0, comparative fit index = .79 and .86, root mean square error of approximation = .08 and .12, standardized root mean square residual = .08 and .08, respectively). The unidimensionality of each domain in the two structures was not supported. Conclusions and Relevance: Neither the eight- nor the four-domain structure of the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0 was supported, suggesting that scores may not provide valid assessments of HRQOL in clients with stroke. Further modification and validation of the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0 are warranted. What This Article Adds: Our findings suggest that the eight- and four-domain scores of the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0 may not be valid. Therefore, until more supporting evidence is developed, these scores should be interpreted cautiously in regard to clients’ HRQOL; alternatively, other measures could be used.

Purpose Health literacy among patients is crucial for effective stroke management. The European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire is a theory-based measure that comprehensively captures 12 domains of health literacy. We aimed to develop a computerized adaptive test of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire to efficiently assess health literacy among patients with stroke. Materials and methods The European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire data of 311 patients and item parameters were retrieved from a Rasch validation study. Real data simulations were performed to develop a computerized adaptive test of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire and explore its efficiency and reliability. Results The computerized adaptive test of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire displayed suitable reliability in all 12 domains (0.72-0.84) with a mean test length of 17 items (36.2% of the 47-item European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire). Conclusions Our findings indicate that the computerized adaptive test of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire, which assesses 12 domains of health literacy among patients with stroke in a timely and precise fashion, is efficient and reliable.Implications for rehabilitationThe computerized adaptive test of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire assesses the subjective fit of personal health literacy competencies to environmental demands, providing insight into patient strengths and weaknesses when dealing with health tasks and interacting with health systems.The computerized adaptive test of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire assesses the 12 domains of health literacy among patients with stroke in a timely and precise manner.Our study has demonstrated the utility of the computerized adaptive test of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire in reducing the assessment burden of patients in clinical practice.Developing of the computerized adaptive test of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire provided findings that may benefit researchers and clinicians interested in developing efficient outcome measures.

Objective The purposes of this study were to examine the test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, and ecological validity of the Computerized Digit Vigilance Test (C-DVT) in patients with schizophrenia. Method Each participant was assessed four times, with 1-week intervals. In each assessment, the participants completed both the C-DVT and the original DVT. The participants were also assessed using the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (LIADL) and the Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP). Results Forty-nine participants were recruited in this study. The results showed that the test-retest agreement of the C-DVT was good-to-excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.71-0.89). The random measurement errors of the C-DVT were acceptable (percentages of minimal detectable change = 12.9%-24.1%). The practice effect of the C-DVT reached a plateau after three assessments (effect size

The effective self-management and treatment of long-term disability after stroke depends greatly on the health literacy of patients. The European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q) is a comprehensive and theory-based measure that captures multiple self-perceived competencies of health literacy and covers a diverse range of health contexts. However, there is no psychometric evidence on the HLS-EU-Q in the stroke population. The aim of this study was to examine the validity of the HLS-EU-Q in patients with stroke using Rasch analysis. We compared the model deviance among the one-domain, three-domain, four-domain, and 12-domain structures using likelihood ratio tests to determine the dimensionality of the HLS-EU-Q. Thereafter, we examined the unidimensionality of each domain, local independence, item fit, response categories, and differential item functioning (DIF) for the best fitting structure. A total of 311 patients with stroke participated in this study. Rasch analysis revealed that the 12-domain HLS-EU-Q demonstrated the best data–model fit. The original 4-point scales showed disordering, which can be corrected by rescaling them as 3-point scales with the two middle categories collapsed. All 47 items in the rescaled HLS-EU-Q fit the 12-domain Rasch model, demonstrated local independence, assessed the 12 unidimensional domains respectively, and had invariant difficulties between different age or education groups of the patients with stroke. We recommend using the 12-domain scores of the rescaled HLS-EU-Q to comprehensively and accurately capture the competencies to access, understand, appraise, and apply health information within the three health contexts of healthcare, disease prevention, and health promotion for patients with stroke.

Background and Purpose— The Fugl-Meyer Assessment motor scale, Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke patients, and Barthel Index are widely used to assess patients’ upper extremity and lower extremity motor function, balance, and basic activities of daily living after stroke, respectively. However, these 3 measures (72 items) require a great amount of time for assessment. Therefore, we aimed to develop an efficient test, the Functional Assessment of Stroke (FAS). Methods— The FAS was constructed from 4 short-form tests of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-upper extremity, Fugl-Meyer Assessment-lower extremity, Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke patients, and Barthel Index based on the results of Rasch analyses and the items’ content. We examined the psychometric properties of the FAS, including Rasch reliability, concurrent validity, convergent validity, known-group validity, and responsiveness. Results— The FAS contained 29 items (10, 6, 8, and 5 items for the 4 short-form tests, respectively). The FAS demonstrated high Rasch reliability (0.92–0.94), concurrent validity ( r =0.90–0.97 with the original tests), convergent validity ( r =0.62–0.94 with the 5-scale Fugl-Meyer Assessment), and known-group validity (significant difference in the FAS scores among 3 groups of disability levels; P Conclusions— The FAS contains 29 items and has sufficient Rasch reliability, validities, and responsiveness. These findings support that the FAS is efficient for reliably and validly assessing upper extremity/lower extremity motor function, balance, and basic activities of daily living and for sensitively detecting change in those functions in patients with stroke.

The computerized adaptive testing system of the functional assessment of stroke (CAT-FAS) can simultaneously assess four functions (motor functions of the upper and lower extremities, postural control, and basic activities of daily living) with sufficient reliability and administrative efficiency. CAT, a modern measurement method, aims to provide a reliable estimate of the examinee's level of function rapidly. CAT administers only a few items whose item difficulties match an examinee's level of function and, thus, the administered items of CAT can provide sufficient information to reliably estimate the examinee's level of function in a short time. The CAT-FAS was developed through four steps: (1) determining the item bank, (2) determining the stopping rules, (3) validating the CAT-FAS, and (4) establishing a platform of online administration. The results of this study indicate that the CAT-FAS has sufficient administrative efficiency (average number of items = 8.5) and reliability (group-level Rasch reliability: 0.88 - 0.93; individual-level Rasch reliability: ≥70% of patients had Rasch reliability score ≥0.90) to simultaneously assess four functions in patients with stroke. In addition, because the CAT-FAS is a computer-based test, the CAT-FAS has three additional advantages: the automatic calculation of scores, the immediate storage of data, and the easy exporting of data. These advantages of the CAT-FAS will be beneficial to data management for clinicians and researchers.

Importance: The most frequently used measures of facial emotion recognition (FER) are insufficiently comprehensive, reliable, valid, and efficient; moreover, the impact of gender on scoring has not been controlled. Objective: To develop a computerized adaptive test of FER for adults with schizophrenia. Design: First, we selected photographs from a published database. Second, items that fitted well to a Rasch model were used to form the item bank. Third and last, we determined the best administration mode for prospective users to achieve both high reliability and efficiency. Setting: Psychiatric hospitals and the community. Participants: Adults living with schizophrenia (n = 351) and adults without diagnosed mental illness (n = 101). Results: After removal of misfit items (infit or outfit ≥1.4), the remaining 165 items were selected to form an item bank. Among them, 39 showed severe gender bias, so the item difficulties were adjusted accordingly. On the basis of the item bank, two administration modes were recommended for prospective users. The reliable mode required approximately 128 items (nearly 20 min) to achieve reliability (.72–.81), similar to that of the entire item bank. The efficient mode required approximately 73 items (approximate 11 min) to provide acceptable reliability (.69–.73) for the seven domain scores. Conclusions and Relevance: Our newly developed measure provides comprehensive, valid, and unbiased (to examinees’ gender) assessments of FER in adults living with schizophrenia. In addition, the administration modes can be flexibly changed to optimize the reliability or efficiency for prospective users. What This Article Adds: This newly developed FER measure can help occupational therapists identify deficits in recognizing specific basic emotions and plan corresponding interventions to manage the impact on their clients’ social functions.

Although methylphenidate has been used as a neurostimulant to treat patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, its therapeutic role in the psychomotor or cognitive recovery of patients with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in both intensive care and rehabilitation settings has not been adequately explored. To address this issue, this meta-analysis searched the available electronic databases using the key words “methylphenidate”, “brain injuries”, “head injuries”, and “traumatic brain injury”. Analysis of the ten double-blind RCTs demonstrated significant benefit in using methylphenidate for enhancing vigilance-associated attention (i.e., selective, sustained, and divided attention) in patients with TBIs (standardized mean difference: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.79), especially in sustained attention (standardized mean difference: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.22 to 1.10). However, no significant positive impact was noted on the facilitation of memory or processing speed. More studies on the efficacy and safety of methylphenidate for the cognitive improvement of patients with TBIs are warranted.

To develop a Tablet-based Symbol Digit Modalities Test (T-SDMT) and to examine the test-retest reliability and concurrent validity of the T-SDMT in patients with stroke.The study had two phases. In the first phase, six experts, nine college students and five outpatients participated in the development and testing of the T-SDMT. In the second phase, 52 outpatients were evaluated twice (2 weeks apart) with the T-SDMT and SDMT to examine the test-retest reliability and concurrent validity of the T-SDMT.The T-SDMT was developed via expert input and college student/patient feedback. Regarding test-retest reliability, the practise effects of the T-SDMT and SDMT were both trivial (d=0.12) but significant (p≦0.015). The improvement in the T-SDMT (4.7%) was smaller than that in the SDMT (5.6%). The minimal detectable changes (MDC%) of the T-SDMT and SDMT were 6.7 (22.8%) and 10.3 (32.8%), respectively. The T-SDMT and SDMT were highly correlated with each other at the two time points (Pearson's r=0.90-0.91).The T-SDMT demonstrated good concurrent validity with the SDMT. Because the T-SDMT had a smaller practise effect and less random measurement error (superior test-retest reliability), it is recommended over the SDMT for assessing information processing speed in patients with stroke. Implications for Rehabilitation The Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), a common measure of information processing speed, showed a substantial practise effect and considerable random measurement error in patients with stroke. The Tablet-based SDMT (T-SDMT) has been developed to reduce the practise effect and random measurement error of the SDMT in patients with stroke. The T-SDMT had smaller practise effect and random measurement error than the SDMT, which can provide more reliable assessments of information processing speed.

Purpose: To investigate the responsiveness and predictive validity of the computerized digit vigilance test (C-DVT) in inpatients receiving rehabilitation following stroke.Methods: Forty-ni...

The authors aimed to develop and validate the Computerized Adaptive Testing System for Assessing 5 Functions in Patients with Stroke (CAT-5F) based on the Barthel Index (BI), Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke patients (PASS), and Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement (STREAM) to improve the efficiency of assessment. The purposes of the CAT-5F assessment are to describe patients' levels of impairments or disabilities in the 5 functions and to serve as an outcome measure in patients with stroke.This is a data-mining study based on data from a previous study using simulation analysis to develop and validate the CAT-5F.One rehabilitation unit in a medical center in Taiwan served as the setting for this study.Data were retrieved from totals of 540 (initial assessment) and 309 (discharge assessment) participants with stroke assessed in a previous study. The assessment data (N=540) were from the BI, PASS, and STREAM.Not applicable.The outcome measures for this study were from BI, PASS, and STREAM.The CAT-5F using the optimal stopping rule (limited reliability increased0.010) had good Rasch reliability across the 5 functions (0.86-0.96) and needed 12.7 items, on average, for the whole administration. The concurrent validity (Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, r=0.91-0.96) and responsiveness (standardized response mean=0.33-0.91) of the CAT-5F were sufficient in the patients.The CAT-5F has sufficient administrative efficiency, reliability, concurrent validity, and responsiveness to simultaneously assess basic activities of daily living, postural control, upper extremity/lower extremity motor functions, and mobility in patients with stroke.

Background No studies have compared the 2-factor structures of Wong’s and Post’s versions of the short-form Stroke-Specific Quality of Life (i.e., 12-item SSQOL) scale. This study compared the construct validity of 2 short-forms of the 12-item-SSQOL (not the 12-domain-SSQOL). Methods Data were obtained from a previous validation study of the original 49-item SSQOL in 263 patients. Construct validity was tested by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine whether the two-factor structure, including psychosocial and physical domains, was supported in both versions. The CFA tested the data-model fit by indices: chi-square χ2/df ratio, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), comparative fit index (CFI), nonnormative fit index (NNFI), standard root mean square residual (SRMR), and parsimony normed fit index (PNFI). Item factor loadings (cutoffs: .50) were examined. Model fit was compared using Akaike information criterion (AIC) and consistent AIC (i.e., CAIC) values. Results All model fit indices for Post’s version fell within expected ranges: χ2/df ratio = 2.02, RMSEA = 0.05, CFI = 0.97, NNFI = 0.97, SRMR = 0.06, and PNFI = 0.76. In the psychosocial domain, the item factor loadings ranged from 0.46 to 0.63. In the physical domain, all items (except the language and vision items) had acceptable factor loadings (0.68 to 0.88). However, in Wong’s version, none of the model indices met the criteria for good fit. In model fit comparisons, Post’s version had smaller AIC and CAIC values than did Wong’s version. Conclusions All fit indices supported Post’s version, but not Wong’s version. The construct validity of Post’s version with a 2-factor structure was confirmed, and this version of the 12-item SSQOL is recommended.

To examine the ecological validity, predictive validity, and responsiveness of the Five Digit Test (FDT) in patients with stroke.We included inpatients with stroke (n = 144, 114 and 105 in the ecological validity, predictive validity, and responsiveness analysis, respectively) in the study. At admission, the FDT and Barthel Index (BI) were assessed; at discharge, the FDT, BI, Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS), and Mobility Subscale of the Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement (MO-STREAM) were assessed.In the ecological validity analysis, the scores of the selective and alternating attention indices of the FDT were moderately correlated with those of the BI at admission and discharge (Spearman ρ = -0.38 to -0.45). In the predictive validity analysis, the scores of the two attention indices of the FDT at admission were moderately correlated with the scores of the BI, PASS, and MO-STREAM at discharge (ρ = -0.33 to -0.45). In the responsiveness analysis, the two attention indices of the FDT between admission and discharge had large differences (success rate difference = 0.56-0.67, Wilcoxon Z = -5.90 to -6.60).Our results indicate that the selective and alternating attention indices of the FDT have acceptable ecological validity, predictive validity, and good responsiveness in patients with stroke.The Five Digit Test (FDT), an efficient and culture-free assessment tool, has been used to assess selective attention and alternating attention The selective index and alternating attention index of the FDT showed acceptable ecological validity, predictive validity, and good responsiveness in patients with stroke.

Objectives: To develop a computerized Digit Vigilance Test (C-DVT) with lower random measurement error than that of the DVT and to examine the concurrent validity, ecological validity, and test-retest reliability of the C-DVT in patients with stroke. Design: A cross-sectional study. Patients: Forty-four patients with stroke. Methods: We developed and tested the C-DVT. To examine the psychometric properties, the participants completed both the C-DVT and DVT twice with a 14-day interval. Results: We developed the C-DVT on the basis of expert input and examinee feedback. C-DVT scores were highly correlated with DVT scores (ρ = 0.75), supporting the concurrent validity. The C-DVT scores were moderately correlated with the scores of the Barthel Index and the Activities of Daily Living Computerized Adaptive Testing system (ρ = –0.60~–0.57), supporting the ecological validity. The test-retest agreement of the C-DVT was excellent (intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.92). The random measurement error of the C-DVT (minimal detectable change percent change (MDC%) = 15.4%) was acceptable and lower than that of the DVT (33.0%). The practice effects of the C-DVT were statistically significant, but the effect size d was small (0.15). Conclusion: A C-DVT with a limited amount of random measurement error was developed. These preliminary findings show that the C-DVT demonstrates satisfactory concurrent validity, ecological validity, and test-retest reliability in patients with stroke.

Background The 3-point Berg Balance Scale (BBS-3P) and 3-point Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS-3P) were simplified from the BBS and PASS to overcome the complex scoring systems. The BBS-3P and PASS-3P were more feasible in busy clinical practice and showed similarly sound validity and responsiveness to the original measures. However, the reliability of the BBS-3P and PASS-3P is unknown limiting their utility and the interpretability of scores. Aim We aimed to examine the test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) of the BBS-3P and PASS-3P in patients with stroke. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting The rehabilitation departments of a medical center and a community hospital. Population A total of 51 chronic stroke patients (64.7% male). Methods Both balance measures were administered twice 7 days apart. The test-retest reliability of both the BBS-3P and PASS-3P were examined by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). The MDC and its percentage over the total score (MDC%) of each measure was calculated for examining the random measurement errors. Results The ICC values of the BBS-3P and PASS-3P were 0.99 and 0.97, respectively. The MDC% (MDC) of the BBS-3P and PASS-3P were 9.1% (5.1 points) and 8.4% (3.0 points), respectively, indicating that both measures had small and acceptable random measurement errors. Conclusions Our results showed that both the BBS-3P and the PASS-3P had good test-retest reliability, with small and acceptable random measurement error. These two simplified 3-level balance measures can provide reliable results over time. Clinical rehabilitation impact Our findings support the repeated administration of the BBS-3P and PASS-3P to monitor the balance of patients with stroke. The MDC values can help clinicians and researchers interpret the change scores more precisely.

Background Health literacy (HL) enables patients with breast cancer to actively participate in health decisions and promote positive health outcomes. The Integrated Model of Health Literacy (IMHL), defined as the personal, situational, and societal/environmental factors that predict the level of HL that can influence health outcomes, incorporates the concepts, determinants, and consequences of HL. Objective The aim of this study was to examine the mechanisms and completeness of the IMHL in patients with breast cancer. Methods Five hundred eleven Taiwanese patients were prospectively recruited. We conducted structural equation modeling to confirm and modify the predictive pathways linking the HL-related factors in the IMHL. Results Results on a total of 511 breast cancer patients showed good model-data fit. An alternative model revealed better fit with 2 pathways added from cancer stage to self-rated health and from cancer duration to shared decision making. Both the original model and alternative model modification revealed that only personal determinants (age, education, cancer stage, and duration) and not situational determinants (marital status) or social/environmental determinants (residence and occupation) could significantly predict the 3 domains of HL. Theorized consequences of HL were significantly influenced by HL in both models. Conclusions Our results partially support the relationships proposed in the IMHL for patients with breast cancer as only personal determinants significantly predicted HL. Implications for practice Understanding the predictive pathways of the integrated HL model could help clinicians to tailor HL interventions using a patient's personal determinants to facilitate participation in decision making and promote health for breast cancer patients.

To develop a computerized adaptive testing system of the Functional Assessment of Stroke (CAT-FAS) to assess upper- and lower-extremity (UE/LE) motor function, postural control, and basic activities of daily living with optimal efficiency and without sacrificing psychometric properties in patients with stroke.Simulation study.One rehabilitation unit in a medical center.Patients with subacute stroke (N=301; mean age, 67.3±10.9; intracranial infarction, 74.5%).Not applicable.The UE and LE subscales of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients, and Barthel Index.The CAT-FAS adopting the optimal stopping rule (limited reliability increase of.010) had good Rasch reliability across the 4 domains (.88-.93) and needed few items for the whole administration (8.5 items on average). The concurrent validity (CAT-FAS vs original tests, Pearson r=.91-.95) and responsiveness (standardized response mean, .65-.76) of the CAT-FAS were good in patients with stroke.We developed the CAT-FAS, and our results support that the CAT-FAS has sufficient efficiency, reliability, concurrent validity, and responsiveness in patients with stroke. The CAT-FAS can be used to simultaneously assess patients' functions of UE, LE, postural control, and basic activities of daily living using, on average, no more than 10 items; this efficiency is useful in reducing the assessment burdens for both clinicians and patients.

Background Health literacy enables effective communication, participation, and cooperation with clinicians of patients with breast cancer in healthcare processes. The European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q) comprehensively assesses multiple conceptual domains of health literacy in a diverse range of health contexts. However, the HLS-EU-Q has not been validated in women with breast cancer. Objectives We examined the psychometric properties, particularly the factorial validity, of the HLS-EU-Q in women with breast cancer. Methods We performed a first-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to verify the 12-subdomain model of the 47-item HLS-EU-Q. A second-order CFA was conducted to investigate whether the 12 subdomains reflected the 3 domains of healthcare, disease prevention, and health promotion correspondingly. Results A total of 475 women with breast cancer participated in this study. The first-order CFA fitted with the HLS-EU-Q containing 47 items. However, item 29, with a low factor loading (-0.05), was deleted. The modified first-order CFA adequately fitted the data of the HLS-EU-Q with 46 items. The second-order CFA model acceptably fitted with the data, but the 3 domains with high correlations (0.92-1.00) were merged into a single domain, health literacy. Conclusions Our results supported the factorial validity of the 12-subdomain HLS-EU-Q with 46 items in women with breast cancer. It is recommended that the 12 subdomain scores be summed up to represent overall health literacy. Implications for practice The HLS-EU-Q with 46 items is recommended for use in capturing the diverse health literacy competencies of women with breast cancer in different health contexts.

Objective To develop a computerized adaptive test of social functioning (Social-CAT) for patients with stroke. Design This study contained 2 phases. First, a unidimensional item bank was formed using social-related items with sufficient item fit (ie, infit and outfit mean square [MNSQ]). The social-related items were selected from 3 commonly used patient-reported quality-of-life measures. Items with differential item functioning (DIF) of sex were deleted. Second, we performed simulations to determine the best set of stopping rules with both high reliability and efficiency. The participants' responses to the items were extracted from a previous study. Setting Rehabilitation wards and departments of rehabilitation/neurology of 5 general hospitals. Participants Patients (N=263) with stroke (47.1% were inpatients). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure Social-CAT. Results The unidimensionality of the 24 selected items was supported (infit and outfit MNSQs=0.8–1.2). One item had DIF of sex and was deleted. The item bank was composed of the remaining 23 items. With the best set of stopping rules (person reliability ≥.90 or limited reliability increased ≤.001), the Social-CAT used on average 10 items to achieve sufficient reliability (average person reliability=.88; 81.0% of the patients with reliability ≥.90). Conclusions The Social-CAT appears to be a unidimensional measure with acceptable reliability and efficiency, and it could be useful for both clinicians and patients in time-pressed clinical settings.

Date Presented 04/05/19 The Computerized Alternating Attention Test (CAAT) assesses alternating attention regularly in clinic and follow-up assessments in patients with schizophrenia. When performing the CAAT, subjects were required to alternately judge two types of rules: digit and shape. A shorter time for completing the CAAT indicates better alternating attention. Our validation of CAAT indicated that the CAAT had the acceptable test-retest agreement, negligible practice effect, and acceptable concurrent validity. Primary Author and Speaker: Wen-Chyn Lue Contributing Authors: Gong-Hong Lin, Shu-Chun Lee, Ching-Lin Hsieh

The Brunnstrom recovery stages (the BRS) consists of 2 items assessing the poststroke motor function of the upper extremities and 1 assessing the lower extremities. The 3 items together represent overall motor function. Although the BRS efficiently assesses poststroke motor functions, a lack of rigorous examination of the psychometric properties restricts its utility. We aimed to examine the unidimensionality, Rasch reliability, and responsiveness of the BRS, and transform the raw sum scores of the BRS into Rasch logit scores once the 3 items fitted the assumptions of the Rasch model. We retrieved medical records of the BRS (N = 1180) from a medical center. We used Rasch analysis to examine the unidimensionality and Rasch reliability of both upper-extremity items and the 3 overall motor items of the BRS. In addition, to compare their responsiveness for patients (n = 41) assessed with the BRS and the Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement (STREAM) on admission and at discharge, we calculated the effect size (ES) and standardized response mean (SRM). The upper-extremity items and overall motor items fitted the assumptions of the Rasch model (infit/outfit mean square = 0.57–1.40). The Rasch reliabilities of the upper-extremity items and overall motor items were high (0.91–0.92). The upper-extremity items and overall motor items had adequate responsiveness (ES = 0.35–0.41, SRM = 0.85–0.99), which was comparable to that of the STREAM (ES = 0.43–0.44, SRM = 1.00–1.13). The results of our study support the unidimensionality, Rasch reliability, and responsiveness of the BRS. Moreover, the BRS can be transformed into an interval-level measure, which would be useful to quantify the extent of poststroke motor function, the changes of motor function, and the differences of motor functions in patients with stroke.

Traumatic limb injury (TLI) can have a negative impact on a patient’s quality of life (QOL), and the patient’s QOL may fluctuate over time. However, the longitudinal change patterns of QOL in patients with TLI are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the QOL trajectories in patients with TLI in 4 QOL domains: physical capacity, psychological well-being, social relationships, and environment. The patients’ QOL was assessed within 14 days and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after injury. In each QOL domain, 4 latent growth curve models (LGMs, including non-growth, linear growth, quadratic growth, and cubic LGM) were adopted to examine the QOL trajectories across the 6 time points. A total of 499 patients completed the 6 assessments. For all 4 QOL domains, the cubic LGM had the best model fitting (root-mean-square error of approximation

Although methylphenidate has been used as a neurostimulant to treat patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, its therapeutic role in the psychomotor or cognitive recovery of patients with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in both intensive care and rehabilitation settings has not been adequately explored. To address this issue, this meta-analysis searched the available electronic databases using the key words "methylphenidate", "brain injuries", "head injuries", and "traumatic brain injury". Analysis of the ten double-blind RCTs demonstrated significant benefit in using methylphenidate for enhancing vigilance-associated attention (i.e., selective, sustained, and divided attention) in patients with TBIs (standardized mean difference: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.79), especially in sustained attention (standardized mean difference: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.22 to 1.10). However, no significant positive impact was noted on the facilitation of memory or processing speed. More studies on the efficacy and safety of methylphenidate for the cognitive improvement of patients with TBIs are warranted.