Test-retest reliability of the Falls Efficacy Scale International for lower limb prosthesis users

• Introduction and ObjectiveFalling and the fear of falling are major issues for people with lower limb amputation. A number of tools have been developed to assess the fear of falling, these include The Falls Efficacy Scale – International (FES-I). As with any tool, it is important that the validity and reliability of the tool is established for specific target populations. The reliability of the FES-I has been established for multiple patients group. A previous study had established good relative reliability in a small sam- ple of lower limb prosthesis users (ICC = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.70-0.94) (Nugent et al. 2022). However, the current project aimed to evaluate the test-retest reliability and concurrent validity of the FES-I for lower limb prosthesis users with a larger sample. The current abstract outlines the assessment of test-retest reliability of the FES-I.Materials and MethodsForty lower limb prosthesis users with varying levels of amputation from Sweden (n=27) and England (n=13) completed an online questionnaire, which included the FES-I, on two separate oc- casions, separated by two weeks. Given the data distribution, Spearman’s rank correlation analysis was used to evaluate the test re-test reliability of the FES-I responses between these two occasions.ResultsA strong, positive, statistically significant correlation between the two occasions was indicated (rs (25)=0,902, p=< .001). This suggested that there was excellent test re-test reliability for the FES-I in a group of lower limb prosthesis users.ConclusionsThe FES-I shows excellent test-retest reliability (rs>.8) for lower limb prosthesis users, and re- searchers interested in utilizing this instrument can be confident in the reliability in this specific group. This is useful information, particularly for those involved in longitudinal assessment of falls efficacy.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Ortopedi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Orthopaedics (hsv//eng)

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)