Self-perceived upper extremity motor function predicts health-related quality of life in chronic stroke survivors
Creators: name: Pan, Hong
name: Ng, Shamay S. M.
name: Liu, Tai Wa
name: Lam, Stefanie S. L.
name: Chan, Charles C. C.
name: Li, Carol S. K.
name: Chung, Raymond C. K.
name: Lai, Charles W. K.
name: Ng, Winnie W. L.
name: Tang, Maria W. S.
name: Hui, Elsie
name: Woo, Jean
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Medicine
subject: Physiology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Sociology
subject: FOS: Sociology
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Mental Health

description: To examine whether the Upper Extremity Functional Index (UEFI) score independently contributes to the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) score and quantified its relative contribution to SIS scores in chronic stroke survivors. A cross-sectional study in a university-based rehabilitation centre with people with chronic stroke (<i>N</i> = 95) aged ≥ 50 years. The outcome measures included paretic hand grip strength, Fugl–Meyer Upper Extremity Assessment (FMA-UE), Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), UEFI, and SIS. Correlation analysis revealed that paretic hand grip strength, FMA-UE, UEFI, and WMFT scores exhibited a significant moderate positive correlation with SIS scores (<i>r</i> = 0.544–0.687, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). The results of a regression model indicated that after adjustment for demographic factors and stroke-related impairments, the UEFI scores remained independently associated with SIS scores, accounting for 18.8% of the variance. The entire model explained 60.3% of the variance in SIS scores. Self-perceived UE motor function is a crucial component to be included in rehabilitation programmes aimed at enhancing quality of life and participation among chronic stroke survivors. Observation-based outcome measures, e.g., Fugl–Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) could not predict the health-related quality of life (Stroke Impact scale (SIS)) in chronic stroke survivors in our study, which was contradictory with current studies.A self-perceived outcome measure to evaluate upper extremity function (Upper Extremity Functional Index (UEFI)) could independently predict the health-related quality of life (SIS), accounting for 18.8% of the variance.Our study demonstrated that self-perceived UE motor function would be an important component to optimize the rehabilitation programmes aimed at enhancing quality of life and social participation among chronic stroke survivors. Observation-based outcome measures, e.g., Fugl–Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) could not predict the health-related quality of life (Stroke Impact scale (SIS)) in chronic stroke survivors in our study, which was contradictory with current studies. A self-perceived outcome measure to evaluate upper extremity function (Upper Extremity Functional Index (UEFI)) could independently predict the health-related quality of life (SIS), accounting for 18.8% of the variance. Our study demonstrated that self-perceived UE motor function would be an important component to optimize the rehabilitation programmes aimed at enhancing quality of life and social participation among chronic stroke survivors.