Practicability and sensitivity to change of the activities-specific balance confidence scale and 12-item Walking Scale for stroke.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the practicability and sensitivity to change of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) and the 12-item Walking Scale (WS-12) in persons at different phases after stroke.


METHODS
A longitudinal data collection with repeated measurements at 0 to 14 days and 3 months post stroke combined with a cross-sectional approach for persons more than 1 year post stroke. The participants were 37 persons (median age, 79 years; interquartile range [IQR] 67-86) in the acute phase admitted to the University Hospital of Örebro (sample A) of whom 31 were measured at follow-up, and 67 persons at 4 primary care centers in Örebro County Council (median age, 68 years; IQR, 61-76) who were more than 1 year post stroke (sample B).


RESULTS
The ABC registered balance confidence during activities and the WS-12 measured walking limitations as perceived by participants. The observed score range per item and for the total scores covered a wide range with no floor or ceiling effects. For the older persons in sample A, 3 ABC items requiring high balance levels were found difficult even before stroke. The item for running in the WS-12 was also often commented on as being not possible before stroke. The ABC showed moderate ability and the WS-12 showed good ability to measure change.


CONCLUSIONS
The scales are practical to use and sensitive to change for persons with remaining walking ability at different phases post stroke.
Örebro County Council, Centre for Health Care Sciences, Örebro, Sweden.
Ylva Elisabet
YE
Nilsagård
Anette
A
Forsberg
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*