Japanese Adaptation of the Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale-39 (SAQOL-39): Comparative Study among Different Types of Aphasia.
BACKGROUND
We have developed a Japanese version of the Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale-39 (SAQOL-39), designated as SAQOL-39-J, and used psychometric methods to examine its acceptability and reliability.


METHODS
The acceptability and reliability of SAQOL-39-J, which was developed from the English version using a standard translation and back-translation method, were examined in 54 aphasia patients using standard psychometric methods. The acceptability and reliability of SAQOL-39-J were then compared among patients with different types of aphasia.


RESULTS
SAQOL-39-J showed good acceptability, internal consistency (Cronbach's α score = .90), and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = .97). Broca's aphasia patients showed the lowest total scores and communication scores on SAQOL-39-J.


CONCLUSIONS
The Japanese version of SAQOL-39, SAQOL-39-J, provides acceptable and reliable data in Japanese stroke patients with aphasia. Among different types of aphasia, Broca's aphasia patients had the lowest total and communication SAQOL-39-J scores. Further studies are needed to assess the effectiveness of health care interventions on health-related quality of life in this population.
Department of Rehabilitation, Sagamihara Minami Hospital, Sagamihara, Japan. Electronic address: kamiya.akane.st@gmail.com.
Akane
A
Kamiya
Department of Rehabilitation, Kitasato University Hospital, Sagamihara, Japan.
Kentaro
K
Kamiya
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Japan.
Hiroshi
H
Tatsumi
Department of Health Science, Aichi Gakuin University, Nisshin, Japan.
Makihiko
M
Suzuki
Department of Rehabilitation, School of Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Japan.
Satoshi
S
Horiguchi
D000368:Aged; D001037:Aphasia / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*
Aphasia; outcome; quality of life; stroke