Use of the extended ADL scale with stroke patients

The Extended ADL scale is a postal measure of Instrumental ADL ability, comprising sub-scales for mobility, household ability and leisure activity. Its validity was examined in 303 stroke patients who had participated in a rehabilitation study. Adequate Guttman scales were found in the mobility scale, an adjusted household scale and, in women, the leisure scale. Extended ADL scores at 6 months after discharge from hospital were independently predicted by the Barthel ADL score at discharge from hospital, the age of the patient, previous mobility, time spent in hospital for the stroke, the abbreviated mental test score at discharge and whether the patient was living alone or not. Extended ADL scores discriminated between patients in institutions and at home. In patients at home, the Extended ADL scores were lower in those who received social and nursing services than in those who did not. Death or institutionalization over the 6 months was uncommon in patients with high Extended ADL scores. These data support the validity of the Extended ADL scale and confirm it to be a useful measure of outcome in stroke research.