Background: Cross-cultural adaptation of health-related quality of life (HRQL) scales is useful as it allows comparisons of therapy outcomes across different countries to be drawn. Aims: To adapt the English Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life—39 item generic stroke scale (SAQOL-39g) into Dutch. To investigate the psychometric properties (acceptability, internal consistency, test–retest reliability and construct validity) of the Dutch version (SAQOL-39NL). Methods & Procedures: Established guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures were followed. Individuals with chronic aphasia were recruited from six centres in The Netherlands. Participants completed the SAQOL-39NL and a visual analogue scale on HRQL in an interview format with an aphasia specialist speech and language therapist. Outcomes & Results: The cross cultural adaptation resulted in a consensus version of the SAQOL-39NL, which participants (n = 13) felt was informative and of value in assessing the impact of stroke on their lives. The SAQOL-39NL was acceptable (no missing data; no floor or ceiling effects) to people with chronic aphasia (n = 47). Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.89 for scale; 0.84–0.91 for domains) and test–retest reliability were excellent (ICC = 0.90 for scale, 0.70–0.93 for domains). Internal validity (moderate intercorrelations between domains) and convergent validity (r = 0.45) were good. Conclusions: The SAQOL-39NL is a psychometrically sound measure of HRQL for Dutch speaking people with aphasia. As is common with new measures, its psychometric properties need to be evaluated further; and its appropriateness as a clinical outcome measure needs to be determined. Yet, the SAQOL-39NL is a promising new measure for use in clinical practice, audit and research.
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Background: A significant part of neurological rehabilitation focuses on facilitating the learning of motor skills. Training can adopt either (more) explicit or (more) implicit forms of motor learning. Gait is one of the most practiced motor skills within rehabilitation in people after stroke because it is an important criterion for discharge and requirement for functioning at home. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the design of a randomized controlled study assessing the effects of implicit motor learning compared with the explicit motor learning in gait rehabilitation of people suffering from stroke. Methods: The study adopts a randomized, controlled, single-blinded study design. People after stroke will be eligible for participation when they are in the chronic stage of recovery (>6 months after stroke), would like to improve walking performance, have a slow walking speed (<1 m/s), can communicate in Dutch, and complete a 3-stage command. People will be excluded if they cannot walk a minimum of 10 m or have other additional impairments that (severely) influence gait. Participants will receive 9 gait-training sessions over a 3-week period and will be randomly allocated to an implicit or explicit group. Therapists are aware of the intervention they provide, and the assessors are blind to the intervention participants receive. Outcome will be assessed at baseline (T0), directly after the intervention (T1), and after 1 month (T2). The primary outcome parameter is walking velocity. Walking performance will be assessed with the 10-meter walking test, Dynamic Gait Index, and while performing a secondary task (dual task). Self-reported measures are the Movement Specific Reinvestment Scale, verbal protocol, Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale, and the Global Perceived Effect scale. A process evaluation will take place to identify how the therapy was perceived and identify factors that may have influenced the effectiveness of the intervention. Repeated measures analyses will be conducted to determine significant and clinical relevant differences between groups and over time. Results: Data collection is currently ongoing and results are expected in 2019. Conclusions: The relevance of the study as well as the advantages and disadvantages of several aspects of the chosen design are discussed, for example, the personalized approach and choice of measurements.
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Meten is weten. Daar zijn we het allemaal over eens. Maar hoe zorg je er voor dat je op het goede moment en met het juiste meetinstrument een zinvolle meting doet? Meten is immers geen doel op zich. Onlangs kwam een nieuwe uitgave van het boek Meten in de praktijk: Stappenplan voor het gebruik van meetinstrumenten in de praktijk uit. Hoog tijd om stil te staan bij meten in de dagelijkse ergotherapiepraktijk en daar een stappenplan voor te presenteren.
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