title: The test-retest reliability and responsiveness to change for the Hand Function Survey during stroke rehabilitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Hand Function Survey (HFS) is a questionnaire designed to measure self-reported ability to use the affected hand during 13 everyday tasks in people with stroke. The HFS appears practical for clinical use and has established psychometric properties. This study aimed to investigate test-retest reliability and responsiveness to change for the HFS during stroke rehabilitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two people with a first episode stroke, and without severe cognitive and language difficulties, participated. Participants were assessed on three occasions: baseline, 48 hours later and at follow-up (four to six weeks later) using two tests of upper extremity function, the HFS and the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT). Test-retest reliability of the HFS between baseline and 48 hours was examined using tests of agreement (Lin's Concordance and Cohen's Kappa). Responsive to change for the HFS was investigated by comparing the difference between baseline and follow-up scores. The level of agreement between the change observed for the ARAT and HFS was analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Strong agreement (Rho_c = 0.99; Κ(w) =0.97) was observed between the test-retest HFS scores. Significant improvement between baseline and follow-up occurred for both the HFS and ARAT. A moderate agreement was found between change observed for the HFS and ARAT (Rho_c=0.62; Κ(w) =0.65).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HFS was found to be a reliable and responsive self-report test of hand function during stroke rehabilitation. The HFS could be used in conjunction with other clinical tests of hand function during the rehabilitation of people with stroke without severe cognitive and language difficulties.
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, Austin Health: Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre, 1 Yarra Boulevard, Kew, Vic. 3101, Australia. jannette.blennerhassett@austin.org.au
authors.forename: Jannette M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Blennerhassett
authors.forename: Rebecca M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Avery
authors.forename: Leeanne M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Carey
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D056228:Feedback, Sensory; D005260:Female; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome