Quality of life after stroke: evaluation of the Greek SAQOL-39g.

Background/aims: Stroke and aphasia rehabilitation aims to improve people's quality of life. Yet, scales for measuring health-related quality of life in stroke typically exclude people with aphasia. They are also primarily available in English. An exception is the 39-item generic version of the Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale (SAQOL-39g). This scale has been tested with people with aphasia; it has been adapted for use in many countries including Greece. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Greek SAQOL-39g.

Methods: An interview-based psychometric study was carried out. Participants completed: receptive subtests of the Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test, the Greek SAQOL-39g, the 12-item General Health Questionnaire, the Frenchay Activities Index, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and the Barthel Index.

Results: 86 people took part; 26 provided test-retest reliability data. The Greek SAQOL-39g demonstrated excellent acceptability (minimal missing data; no floor/ceiling effects), test-retest reliability [intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.96 (overall scale), 0.83-0.99 (domains)] and internal consistency [Cronbach's alpha = 0.96 (overall scale), 0.92-0.96 (domains)]. There was strong evidence for convergent [r = 0.53-0.80 (overall scale), 0.54-0.89 (domains)] and discriminant validity [r = 0.52 (overall scale), 0.04-0.48 (domains)].

Conclusion: The Greek SAQOL-39g is a valid and reliable scale. It is a promising measure for use in stroke and aphasia treatment prioritization, outcome measurement and service evaluation.