title: Postal and face-to-face administration of stroke outcome measures: can mixed modes be used?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Different modes of administration are used to collect stroke outcomes, even within the same study, potentially leading to different results. We investigated the effect of administration mode (postal questionnaire; face-to-face interview) on self-reports of activities of daily living and mood.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was nested within a poststroke motivational interviewing trial. Activities of daily living (Barthel; Nottingham Extended) and mood (General Health Questionnaire; Yale) were collected at 3 and 12 months via postal questionnaire. Participants were approached to respond again via face-to-face interview. Paired t tests (McNemar test) and intraclass correlation coefficients (Cohen κ) were used, with 95% CI, to compare scores (items).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-four participants consented. Only Barthel scores were significantly different; they were 1.0 (95% CI, 0.5-1.6) higher face-to-face. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the Barthel was 0.90; for the other scales it was between 0.83 and 0.87. The Yale κ was 0.72.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Modes of administration might be used interchangeably, albeit in conjunction with corrections for the Barthel.
authors.affiliation: School of Health, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, United Kingdom. cjsutton@uclan.ac.uk
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.forename: Caroline L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Leathley
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McAdam
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dey
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D062405:Motivational Interviewing / Q000379:methods*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011177:Postal Service / Q000379:methods*; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors