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An Objective and Child-friendly Assessment of Arm Function by Using a 3-D Sensor
Published on: February 12, 2018
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The suitcase packing activity: A new evaluation of hand function.
Matthew L Baumann1, Jill M Cancio2, Kathleen E Yancosek3
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Brooke Army Medical Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Summary
The Suitcase Packing Activity (SPA) is a reliable and valid tool for assessing hand function. This new measure helps evaluate both unilateral and bimanual hand capabilities during a functional task.
Area of Science:
- Occupational therapy
- Rehabilitation science
- Hand function assessment
Background:
- Accurate assessment of individual hand function is crucial for effective therapy and outcome prediction.
- A need exists for a composite test evaluating both unilateral and bimanual hand function within a functional activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish the reliability and validity of the Suitcase Packing Activity (SPA) as a measure of hand function.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, repeated-measures study involving 80 healthy adults (18-45 years).
- Face and content validity established by expert panel and focus groups.
- Interrater and test-retest reliability assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC).
- Concurrent validity evaluated against established hand evaluations.
Main Results:
- Good to excellent interrater reliability (ICC ≥ 0.93) and test-retest reliability (ICC ≥ 0.83).
- SPA scores showed moderate correlation with existing hand evaluation tools.
- Face and content validity were confirmed.
Conclusions:
- The Suitcase Packing Activity (SPA) demonstrates strong reliability and validity.
- SPA is a promising outcome measure for assessing functional hand abilities, particularly after injury.
- The tool effectively evaluates bimanual and unilateral hand function in healthy individuals.
