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Abstract
Purpose. To test responsiveness and sensitivity to change of the Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scale Danish version (SSQOL-DK) scores in patients following stroke.
Methods. A follow-up study of 150 patients with first-ever stroke was used. Questionnaires on quality of life, fatigue, depression, and functional level were completed. Direction of change was categorised as deterioration, no change or improvement. Proportion of concordant classification with external criteria was assessed. Associations between differences in SSQOL-DK domains and the other instruments were estimated using Spearman's rank order correlation coefficients. Paired t-test was used to assess change in the SSQOL-DK domains in patients affected in that domain. Effect size and standardised response mean (SRM) were used to express domain responsiveness.
Results. SSQOL-DK classified concordantly in 42.2 to 58.1%%, and misclassified from zero to 31.3%%. Changes in SSQOL-DK and in the corresponding measures correlated from (rs) 0.08 to −0.58. Fatigue and domain energy in SSQOL-DK were negatively correlated. Effect size ranged from −0.03 to −0.53, SRM from −0.02 to −0.56 reflecting mild-to-moderate responsiveness in eight out of 12 domains.
Conclusion. SSQOL-DK is mildly to moderately responsive and sensitive and can be used for descriptive purposes over time in groups of patients with mild stroke.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the stroke survivors for giving their time and effort and professor Anders Möller, Nordic School of Public Health, Gothenburg, for critical revision of the manuscript.
Declaration of interests: This study was funded by the Research Fund for Health Sciences in Frederiksborg County, and a grant from the Nordic School of Public Health in Gothenburg, Sweden. The post-stroke fatigue study, where patients in this study of responsiveness were recruited, was supported by grants from the Aarhus University Hospital Research Initiative, the Department of Nursing Science, University of Aarhus and the Danish Medical Research Council. The authors declare that they have no competing interests.