title: Quality of life after stroke: evaluation of the Greek SAQOL-39g.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Stroke and aphasia rehabilitation aims to improve people's quality of life. Yet, scales for measuring health-related quality of life in stroke typically exclude people with aphasia. They are also primarily available in English. An exception is the 39-item generic version of the Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale (SAQOL-39g). This scale has been tested with people with aphasia; it has been adapted for use in many countries including Greece. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Greek SAQOL-39g.
  
  
  METHODS
  An interview-based psychometric study was carried out. Participants completed: receptive subtests of the Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test, the Greek SAQOL-39g, the 12-item General Health Questionnaire, the Frenchay Activities Index, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and the Barthel Index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  86 people took part; 26 provided test-retest reliability data. The Greek SAQOL-39g demonstrated excellent acceptability (minimal missing data; no floor/ceiling effects), test-retest reliability [intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.96 (overall scale), 0.83-0.99 (domains)] and internal consistency [Cronbach's alpha = 0.96 (overall scale), 0.92-0.96 (domains)]. There was strong evidence for convergent [r = 0.53-0.80 (overall scale), 0.54-0.89 (domains)] and discriminant validity [r = 0.52 (overall scale), 0.04-0.48 (domains)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Greek SAQOL-39g is a valid and reliable scale. It is a promising measure for use in stroke and aphasia treatment prioritization, outcome measurement and service evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Language and Communication Science, City University London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Evangelia Antonia
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Efstratiadou
authors.forename: Evripidis Nicolaos
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Chelas
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ignatiou
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Christaki
authors.forename: Ilias
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Papathanasiou
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hilari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001037:Aphasia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D007808:Language Therapy / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000592:standards; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013070:Speech Therapy / Q000592:standards; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult