To identify the validity and reliability of the Korean version World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment (WHOQOL)-BREF among people with physical impairments living in a community.
Participants listed in the community-based rehabilitation project were recruited from 45 public health centers. People with brain lesions or physical disabilities were selected. Respondents (n=750) filled out the Korean WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Obtained data were analyzed statistically to assess the internal consistency as well as the construct and discriminant validity. An exploratory factor analysis was also performed.
Cronbach's α for the total score was 0.839. The value for each domain ranged from 0.746 to 0.849. Pearson correlation coefficient between each domain ranged from 0.539 to 0.717. The highest correlation was between the psychological and physical domain. The item-domain correlation indicated a significant correlation with their original domains. A multiple regression analysis of each domain with two overall questions was performed. The psychological domain made the strongest contribution with the overall quality of life (unstandardized coefficient B=0.065, r2=0.437). When general health satisfaction was considered as a dependent variable, the physical domain most strongly contributed to the variable (unstandardized coefficient B=0.081, r2=0.462). Exploratory factor analysis yielded four factors in the WHOQOL-BREF, accounting for 55.29% of the variability. To assess the discriminant validity, a comparison of each domain with Modified Barthel Index (MBI) was conducted. There were highly significant changes across the MBI scores with the WHOQOL-BREF domains (p<0.001).
Korean WHOQOL-BREF is a valid and reliable tool to measure the quality of life for people with physical impairments. It has good internal consistency, construct validity and discriminant validity for the population. Further study with a stratified sample is needed.
Citations
Objective: The purposes of this study were to investigate the factors influencing life satisfaction and quality of life (QOL) of the disabled persons and to help the planning and evaluation of Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR).
Method: Data were collected through personal interviews of 503 registrated disabled persons in Uiwang City. Demographic variables and scores of modified Barthel index (MBI), modified Lambeth disability screening questionnaire (MLDSQ), Craig handicap assessment and reporting technique (CHART) and life domain satisfaction measure (LDSM) were obtained.
Results: The score of LDSM was 4.0⁑1.0. Life satisfaction was related to the age, sex, employment status, severity of disability, educational level, housing and residence, level of instrumental activities of daily living and social integration. MLDSQ score was the most strong predictor of life satisfaction (p=0.00) followed by social integration (p=0.001) and total CHART scores (p=0.017). And the factors influencing the handicap were monthly income, severity of disability, employment, level of education and age.
Conclusion: Based on our study, we suggest that the CBR program of Uiwang City need to focus on improving functional ability and social skill of disabled individual and housing, and also promoting their vocational and educational status. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2002; 26: 615-625)
Objective: To investigate the status and basic demand of community based stroke-disabled for rehabilitation program development in an urban area.
Method: The subjects were 46 residencial stroke disabled over 6 months after disease onset. Two teams (composed of one physiatrist and one nurse, respectively) visited patient's home, and evaluated physical and functional status and surveyed for the status and basic demand of community based rehabilitation.
Results: Forty two patients (91.3%) received primary medical care after onset of the stroke, and twenty two patients (47.8%) received rehabilitation therapy. The most common reason for not having received rehabilitation therapy was poor economic state. University hospital was the most common place of their rehabilitative management. Mean score of Modified Barthel Index (MBI) was 60.7. Mean score of Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART) was 223 and economic self-sufficiency scale presented the lowest score as 6.5⁑4.6. The desire of patients for rehabilitation and welfare service was rehabilitation management and the desire of subjects for the government and society was warrant for livelihood.
Conclusion: We concluded that rehabilitation program utilizing common resource such as areal university rehabilitation team and facilities of community health center should be developed. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2002; 26: 254-267)
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