title: Development of a Questionnaire to Investigate Study Design Factors Influencing Participation in Gait Rehabilitation Research by People with Stroke: A Brief Report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a newly developed questionnaire to assess the influence of study design on participation in gait rehabilitation research in a pilot test with individuals with stroke. A secondary objective was to investigate the relationship between participation in gait rehabilitation research and social and clinical factors of interest after stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was developed with expert opinion and guidance from related previous research. The questionnaire was pilot tested in a group of 21 people with stroke, and social and clinical factors (including gait function) were collected. Gait function was assessed using a pressure-sensitive mat; social and clinical characteristics were extracted from patient charts. Correlations were performed to investigate relationships between questionnaire responses and gait function, motor impairment, and chronicity; t-tests were used to examine response differences between people with a caregiver at home and those without.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 21 people with stroke completed the questionnaire without difficulty; mean completion time was 7.2 (SD 3.5) minutes, with a range of responses across participants. Borderline significant associations were found between gait function and the number of studies in which a person would participate and between stroke chronicity and the location of studies in which a person would participate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A questionnaire to investigate the influence of study design factors on participation in rehabilitation research is feasible for administration in the post-stroke population and has potential to inform the design of future studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto; Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto; School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, London, Ont.
authors.forename: Kara K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, London, Ont.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gallant
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, London, Ont.
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ormiston
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Chad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Patience
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, London, Ont.
authors.forename: Mandy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Whitechurch
authors.affiliation: Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto.
authors.forename: Avril
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mansfield
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, London, Ont.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brown
keywords: gait; rehabilitation; research design; research participation; stroke; surveys
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