Measurement properties of the Personal Care Participation Assessment and Resource Tool: a systematic review.
OBJECTIVE
To systematically review research investigating measurement properties of the Personal Care Participation Assessment and Resource Tool (PC-PART), formerly the Handicap Assessment and Resource Tool (HART).


METHODS
Seven databases were searched using (i) HART or PC-PART terms and (ii) known authors. Reference list searches, citation searches and author contact were secondary search methods.


METHODS
Searches retrieved 492 articles. Those investigating at least one HART or PC-PART measurement property were selected. Three articles met review criteria. Secondary searching produced four additional studies.


METHODS
Two reviewers independently critiqued each article, using published quality criteria for (i) study methods and (ii) each measurement property.


RESULTS
There was positive evidence supporting content validity of the PC-PART in adult in-patient and community based, sub/acute health settings. Clinical utility was largely supported. There was inconclusive evidence for inter-rater reliability, construct validity and responsiveness.


CONCLUSIONS
The PC-PART shows promise as a clinically relevant and useful assessment to aid decision making about admission or discharge from health care settings. Further research is needed to establish the PC-PART's place in clinical practice across a range of patient groups and settings using sound methods to investigate structural validity, reliability, criterion validity, construct validity, clinical utility and responsiveness.
School of Allied and Public Health, National Centre for Clinical Outcomes Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia. s.darzins@latrobe.edu.au
Susan
S
Darzins
Christine
C
Imms
Marilyn
M
Di Stefano
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000592:standards; D012046:Rehabilitation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012648:Self Care / Q000592:standards*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires