title: Screening Poststroke Fatigue; Feasibility and Validation of an  Instrument for the Screening of Poststroke Fatigue throughout  the Rehabilitation Process.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our objective is to investigate the feasibility and validity of a new instrument to screen for determinants of poststroke fatigue during the rehabilitation process.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective cohort study was conducted within the stroke department of a rehabilitation center.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants in the study were postacute adult stroke patients. The Detection List Fatigue (DLF)was administered 2 weeks after the start of the rehabilitation program and again 6 weeks later.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine the construct validity, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Checklist Individual Strength subscale fatigue, and the Fatigue Severity Scale--7-item version were administered. A fatigue rating scale was used to measure the patients' fatigue experience. Frequency analyses of the number of patients reporting poststroke fatigue determinants according to the DLF were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred seven patients (mean age 60 years) without severe communication difficulties were included in the study. The DLF was easy to understand and quick to administer. The DLF showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: .79 and .87), high convergent validity (rs = .85 and rs = .79), and good divergent validity (rs = .31 and rs = .45). The majority of the patients (88.4%-90.2%) experienced at least 2 poststroke fatigue (PSF) determinants,of which "sleeping problem" was most frequently reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The DLF is a feasible and valid instrument for the screening of PSF determinants throughout the rehabilitation process in stroke patients. Future studies should investigate whether the use of the list in determining a treatment plan prevents the development of PSF.
authors.forename: Nena
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kruithof
authors.forename: Melanie Hubertina Maria
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Van Cleef
authors.forename: Sascha Maria Cornelia
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rasquin
authors.forename: Thamar Johannes Henricus
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Bovend'Eerdt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation