Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
lesion location and length of stay in hospital on this occasion. 153
stroke patients (49% female) mean age 70 years ±12.4, were
interviewed within 4 weeks of admission (Time 1=T1) and followed
up (n=107) at 12 months (Time 2 = 2). Patients lost to follow-up
were as a result of declines (n=21, 14%), mortality (n=14, 9%),
proxy information only obtained (n=9, 6%) and relocation (n=2,
1%).
Measures
All patients were first screened for language and cognitive deficits to
determine their eligibility into the study. Memory and cognitive
function were assessed using the Hodkinson’s Mental Test Score,
more commonly known as the Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT)
(Qureshi & Hodkinson, 1974). The Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test
(FAST) was used to classify language and communication problems
(Enderby, Wood, Wade, & Hewer, 1987). Strategies of adaptation –
selection, optimisation and compensation (SOC) were assessed
using a modified version of Baltes original SOC- 48 Questionnaire
(P. B. Baltes, Baltes, Freund, & Lang, 1999) called the SOC-15.
Perceived control was assessed using The Recovery Locus of Control
Scale (RLOC) (Partridge & Johnston, 1989). The Stroke-Specific
Quality of Life (SS-QOL) was used to assess participation and has
been reported to be a valid, reliable and responsive measure in
assessing participation in acute stroke trials (Salter et al., 2005;
Williams, Weinberger, Harris, Clark, & Biller, 1999). The Nottingham
Extended Activities of Daily Living Scale (NEADL) was used to
assess functional activity (Nouri & Lincoln, 1987). Stroke severity
was assessed using the Orpington Prognostic Score (OPS) (Kalra &
Crome, 1993) and depression with the depression subscale as part
of the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) (Zigmond &
Snaith, 1983).
Results
Comparison analyses indicated significant improvement in activity
scores from T1 to T2 (t=-3.58, p