Establishing a standardized clinical assessment tool of pathologic and prosthetic hand function: normative data, reliability, and validity.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a new assessment procedure, the Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure (SHAP), that allows contextual results of hand function to be obtained readily in a clinical environment.


METHODS
Reliability (test-retest, interrater) and validity (criterion, content) of new assessment procedure against standard medical outcome measure techniques.


METHODS
Normative data collected in a university laboratory.


METHODS
Twenty-four volunteers selected on the basis of optimum hand function using these criteria: age (range, 18-25 y), and no adverse hand trauma, neurologic condition, or disabling effects of the upper limb.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
The normative control group was assessed for variability, and the procedure measured in terms of interrater and test-retest reliability. The absence of a direct comparison prevents a criterion standard from being established; however, content validity was shown by expert peer review.


RESULTS
The control group data were shown to be multivariate gaussian; test-retest and interrater reliability were demonstrated at the 95% confidence level. The content validity was demonstrated by peer panel approval.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of the control group established the statistical integrity of SHAP. Clinical trials are underway, although more extensive use of the procedure is advocated in primary care and rehabilitation centers where physiotherapy and occupational therapy are actively used in hand rehabilitation.
Light
Colin M
CM
Department of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, England.
Chappell
Paul H
PH
Kyberd
Peter J
PJ
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results