Assessment of the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (NFOG-Q-IT) in people with Parkinson disease: a validity and reliability study

IntroductionFreezingof gait (FOG) in Parkinson's disease (PD) is a challenging clinical symptom to assess, due to its episodic nature. A valid and reliable tool is the New FOG Questionnaire (NFOG-Q) used worldwide to measure FOG symptoms in PD.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to translate, to culturally adapt, and to test the psychometric characteristics of the Italian version of the NFOG-Q (NFOG-Q-It).MethodsThe translation and cultural adaptation was based on ISPOR TCA guidelines to finalize the 9-item NFOG-Q-It. Internal consistency was assessed in 181 Italian PD native speakers who experienced FOG using Cronbach's alpha. Cross-cultural analysis was tested using the Spearman's correlation between the NFOG-Q-It and the Modified Hoehn-Yahr Scale (M-H&Y).To assess construct validity, correlations among NFOG-Q-It, Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), the 6-min Walking Test (6MWT), the Mini Balance Evaluation System Test (Mini-BESTest) and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) were investigated.ResultsThe Italian N-FOGQ had high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.859). Validity analysis showed significant correlations between NFOG-Q-IT total score and M-H&Y scores (r = 0.281 p < 0.001), MDS-UPDRS (r = 0.359 p < 0.001), FES-I (r = 0.230 p = 0.002), Mini BESTest (r = -0.256 p = 0.001) and 6MWT (r = -0.166 p = 0.026). No significant correlations were found with SPPB, MOCA and MMSE.ConclusionThe NFOG-It is a valuable and reliable tool for assessing FOG symptoms, duration and frequency in PD subjects. Results provide the validity of NFOG-Q-It by reproducing and enlarging previous psychometric data

Tools to assess the quality of life in patients with Parkinson’s disease. A systematic review

Introduction . The clinical, social, and economic implications of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are significant; disability occurs leading to a low quality of life (QoL). Information on the QoL of patients with PD and studies on the relationship between QoL and motor and cognitive function are necessary for both research and clinical use to make informed decisions in healthcare and rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to determine which scales are most used to assess QoL in patients with PD. Area covered . A literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Two authors independently identified eligible studies based on predefined inclusion criteria and extracted the data. Study quality and the risk of bias were assessed using the COSMIN checklist. Expert opinion . 116 suitable studies were included, and 42 different instruments were identified. The most frequently used scales were the 39-items and 8-items Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) (PDQ-8). These findings suggest further investigation of existing PD outcome measures would benefit patients, researchers, and clinicians. Validated, universal outcome measures are required to allow comparisons across practice; therefore, we recommend that future researchers use a common set of outcome assessments based on the results of this review

Assessment of the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the perceptions of empowerment in midwifery practice scale-revised (PEMS-R-IT) in midwives

Introduction:A higher degree of midwives’ empowerment is associated with greater job satisfaction and better midwifery care outcomes for women and their families. Empowered midwives are able to better empower women who in turn have a positive influence on the midwives’ empowerment. The aim of this study was the translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of the perceptions of empowerment in midwifery scale-revised (PEMS-R) in a group of Italian midwives.Methods:The World Health Organization (WHO) method was adopted to achieve the PEMS-R Italian version. This process involved five steps: 1) forward translation, 2) expert panel translation, 3) back-translation, 4) pre-testing and cognitive interviewing, and 5) final version. The test’s internal consistency and validity were assessed by following international guidelines. Internal consistency was examined through Cronbach’s alpha (α) coefficient.Results:The PEMS-R-IT was administered to 147 Italian midwives from northern Italy. Factor analysis of the 19 items, extracted 4 factors that explained 74.96% of the variance. The Student’s t-test for independent samples was used to identify a possible correlation between a higher/lower perception of empowerment and: 1) the education level, and 2) the years of experience of recruited midwives. No statistically significant differences were obtained in either case. The PEMS-R-IT was found to have a good internal consistency for each of its 4 subscales.Conclusions:The PEMS-R-IT is a valid and reliable tool, useful to assess midwives’ empowerment. It can be used in both clinical practice and research in order to investigate the level of empowerment of midwives within the Italian national context

Measuring Caregiver in Spinal Cord Injury

This chapter aims to describe and evaluate the assessment tools used for evaluating caregiving in people with SCI, through a systematic review of scientific literature. The systematic review was conducted in line with COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) on PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and Web of Science. After removing duplicates, 3333 papers were screened. Of these, 476 were included in this systematic review. Among these, four papers were considered for this chapter. Results show four assessment tools that evaluate the caregiving area for persons with SCI. The scales evaluate mainly caregiver burden and family needs. These are the Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS), the Caregiver Burden Index (CBI), the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview Short Form (ZBI), and the Family Needs Questionnaire (FNQ). Specifically, CBS assesses the subjective impact of the burden of taking care of people with chronic diseases. The ZBI assesses the tension perceived by the caregiver

Measuring Walking and Balance in Spinal Cord Injury

This chapter aims to describe and evaluate the assessment tools used for evaluating walking and balance in people with SCI through a systematic review of scientific literature. The systematic review was conducted in line with COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) on PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and Web of Science. After removing duplicates, 3333 papers were screened. Of these, 476 were included in this systematic review. Among these, 47 papers were considered for this chapter. Results show 38 assessment tools that evaluate the walking and balance area in persons with SCI. Among these, most scales evaluate the aspect of assistance and distance and are mainly performance tests. The most common assessment tools are the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury (WISCI), which is a functional capacity scale to measure improvements in ambulation evaluating the amount of physical assistance, braces, or devices required to walk at 10 m; the 6-min Walking Test (6MWT), which is a measure of distance and represents the maximum distance walked in 6 min; the Neuromuscular Recovery Scale (NRS), which is an 11-item scale that compares sitting, standing, walking, and transfers relative to typical performance; and, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), which consists of a test that lasts 15–20 min and includes a series of 14 simple tasks related to balance that ranges from getting up from a sitting position to standing on one foot

Measuring Quality of Life in Spinal Cord Injury

This chapter aims to describe and evaluate the assessment tools for evaluating Quality of Life (QoL) in people with SCI through a systematic review of scientific literature. The systematic review was conducted in line with COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) on Pubmed, Scopus, Cinahl, and Web of Science. After removing duplicates, 3333 papers were screened. Of these, 476 were included in this systematic review. Among these, 45 papers were considered for this chapter. Results show 29 assessment tools that evaluate QoL area in persons with SCI. Among the 29 tools included in this chapter resulted that most scales evaluate Health-Related QoL, community integration, and sensorimotor, and prehension functions. The most common assessment tools are the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOLBREF), which is a questionnaire composed of four domains: Physical Capacity, psychological well-being, social relationships, and environment, and the Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ), which addresses three central factors of integration: home competency, social integration, and productive activity

Athletes with disability’ satisfaction with sport wheelchairs: an Italian cross sectional study

Purpose: Physical activity is essential for health and well-being. People with physical disability often experience barriers in performing sports due to the lack of appropriate assistive technologies. The present research aimed to investigate athletes with disability satisfaction when using sports wheelchairs and to explore clinometric properties of the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST). Materials and methods: One hundred and twenty-eight athletes were involved in the present study. Data on sport discipline and wheelchair provision were collected with qualitative approach. Internal consistency and reliability of QUEST were respectively analyzed with Cronbach’s Alpha and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient. Validity was investigated with the correlation of the Wheelchair Use Confidence Scale for Manual users. Results: Results revealed good internal consistency (.858) and moderate inter-rater reliability for service subscale (.664) and for the total score (.675), while for device subscale (.802) reliability was high. Validity revealed moderate correlation (.300) with a p < 0.05. Qualitative analysis highlighted economic barriers as primary social determinant who affect participation in sport activities. Conclusions: The present study confirms preliminary evidence of the QUEST for athletes with disability. The research group also recommends an international effort to promote a comprehensive evaluation of sports wheelchair involving rehabilitation professionals, sport technicians and people with disability

Measuring Assistive Devices Management in Spinal Cord Injury

This chapter aims to describe and evaluate the assessment tools for evaluating assistive devices management in people with SCI through a systematic review of scientific literature. The systematic review was conducted in line with COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) on Pubmed, Scopus, CINAHL, and Web of Science. After removing duplicates, 3333 papers were screened. Of these, 476 were included in this systematic review. Among these, 37 papers were considered for this chapter. Results show 22 assessment tools that evaluate the assistive devices management area in persons with SCI. Among these, most scales evaluate the aspect of self-efficacy, mobility, and skill, and they are mainly performance tests. The most common assessment tools identified include the Wheelchair Circuit to assess manual wheelchair mobility; the Wheelchair Skills Test (WST) offering 33 skills spanning the spectrum from skills as easy as applying the brakes to skills as difficult as performing a wheelie; and the Wheelchair use Confidence Scale (WheelCon), a measurement scale that assesses self-efficacy with conceptual use of a manual wheelchair to measure physical environment, knowledge, and problem-solving, and advocacy

Nursing and Clinical Evaluation in Spinal Cord Injury

This chapter aims to describe and evaluate the assessment tools for evaluating nursing and clinical aspects for people with SCI through a systematic review of scientific literature. The systematic review was conducted in line with COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) on PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and Web of Science. After removing duplicates, 3333 papers were screened. Of these, 476 were included in this systematic review. Among these, 55 papers were considered for this chapter. Results show 40 assessment tools that evaluate nursing and clinical aspects in persons with SCI. Among the 40 tools included in this chapter, most scales evaluate fatigue, skin management, bowel dysfunction, and pain. The most common assessment tools are the Spinal Cord Injury Pressure Ulcers Scale (SCIPUS) which is a 15-item risk assessment scale created to specifically evaluate the risk of pressure ulcer development, the Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction (NBD) score which is a symptom-based score that evaluates the severity of colorectal dysfunction clinically, and the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), which measures both pain intensity and pain interference with different domains of the life

Psychological Evaluation in Spinal Cord Injury

This chapter aims to describe and evaluate the assessment tools to evaluate psychological aspects in people with SCI through a systematic review of scientific literature. The systematic review was conducted in line with COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) on Pubmed, Scopus, Cinahl, and Web of Science. After removing duplicates, 3333 papers were screened, and of these, 476 were included in this systematic review. Among these, 64 papers were considered for this chapter. Results show 46 assessment tools that evaluate the psychological area of persons with SCI. Among these, most scales evaluate the aspect of anxiety and depression, self-efficacy, and coping strategies. The most common assessment tools are the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), which is a self-report measure that asks subjects how often they have been bothered by the problems such as feeling depressed, feeling tired, poor appetite, feelings of guilt, or thoughts of suicide; the Spinal Cord Lesion Related Coping Strategies Questionnaire (SCL-CSQ), which is a specific scale developed to evaluate the coping strategies of persons with SCI; and, the Spinal Cord Injury–Falls Concern Scale (SCI-FCS), which is a scale that assesses the degree of attention, with respect to falls in a wheelchair, by people with SCI while they carry out daily activities