Translation and initial validation of the Chinese (Cantonese) version of community integration measure for use in patients with chronic stroke.

Objectives: To (1) translate and culturally adapt the English version Community Integration Measure into Chinese (Cantonese), (2) report the results of initial validation of the Chinese (Cantonese) version of CIM (CIM-C) including the content validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and factor structure of CIM-C for use in stroke survivors in a Chinese community setting, and (3) investigate the level of community integration of stroke survivors living in Hong Kong.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: University-based rehabilitation centre.

Participants: 62 (n = 62) subjects with chronic stroke.

Methods: The CIM-C was produced after forward-backward translation, expert panel review, and pretesting. 25 (n = 25) of the same subjects were reassessed after a 1-week interval.

Results: The items of the CIM-C demonstrated high internal consistency with a Cronbach's α of 0.84. The CIM-C showed good test-retest reliability with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.84 (95% confidence interval, 0.64-0.93). A 3-factor structure of the CIM-C including "relationship and engagement," "sense of knowing," and "independent living," was consistent with the original theoretical model. Hong Kong stroke survivors revealed a high level of community integration as measured by the CIM-C (mean (SD): 43.48 (5.79)).

Conclusions: The CIM-C is a valid and reliable measure for clinical use.