Measurement Properties of the Stroke-Predischarge Occupational Therapy Assessment

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Occupational Therapy
• Health Services Research

Background:

• A lack of comprehensive predischarge occupational therapy assessment tools exists in South Korea.
• Effective discharge planning is crucial for stroke patient recovery and preventing readmissions.
• Standardized assessment tools are needed to guide occupational therapy interventions for stroke survivors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the validity and reliability of the Stroke-Predischarge Occupational Therapy Assessment (S-POTA) tool.
• To establish S-POTA as a dependable instrument for assessing stroke patients before discharge.
• To facilitate efficient and evidence-based discharge planning for stroke survivors.

Main Methods:

• The study involved 27 occupational therapists assessing 97 stroke patients.
• Concurrent validity was assessed using the Stroke-Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL) scale.
• Discriminant validity was evaluated by comparing patient groups, with test-retest and inter-rater reliability analyses conducted.

Main Results:

• S-POTA showed a positive correlation with SS-QOL, indicating good concurrent validity.
• Significant differences in S-POTA scores were observed between outpatient and readmitted patient groups.
• High reliability was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha (.953), test-retest ICC (.990), and inter-rater ICC (.987).

Conclusions:

• The Stroke-Predischarge Occupational Therapy Assessment (S-POTA) is a valid and reliable tool.
• S-POTA can be efficiently implemented to support discharge planning for stroke patients.
• The tool aids in predicting patient outcomes and optimizing rehabilitation pathways.