Simplified Chinese translation of 13 adult item banks from the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (Neuro-QoL).

Background: The Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (Neuro-QoL) item banks evaluate and monitor the physical, mental, and social health of individuals with neurological conditions. Neuro-QoL items can be administered via short form or computerized adaptive testing. This paper describes the English-to-Simplified Chinese translation of 299 items from 13 adult item banks, which are publicly available.

Use of Physical Activity Monitors in Rheumatic Populations.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this review paper is to provide an overview of the recent research using physical activity monitors in rheumatic populations including those with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and fibromyalgia.

Recent Findings: Recent research demonstrates increased use of physical activity monitors in these populations, especially in those with osteoarthritis. Results from cross-sectional, longitudinal, and intervention studies highlight that physical activity levels are below recommended guidelines, yet evidence suggests benefits such as improving pain, fatigue, function, and overall well-being.

The Burden of Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury in the United States: Disability-Adjusted Life Years.

Objective: To quantify the burden of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) as defined by nonfatal health loss and premature mortality among a large sample of participants over a 44-year period, and estimate the national burden of SCI in the United States for the year 2010.

Design: Longitudinal.

Setting: National SCI Model Systems and Shriners Hospitals.

Experience of Robotic Exoskeleton Use at Four Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Centers.

Background And Purpose: Refinement of robotic exoskeletons for overground walking is progressing rapidly. We describe clinicians' experiences, evaluations, and training strategies using robotic exoskeletons in spinal cord injury rehabilitation and wellness settings and describe clinicians' perceptions of exoskeleton benefits and risks and developments that would enhance utility.

Methods: We convened focus groups at 4 spinal cord injury model system centers.

The association between the etiology of a spinal cord injury and time to mortality in the United States: A 44-year investigation.

To determine the association between spinal cord injury (SCI) etiology categories and mortality, and examine the association between etiology sub-categories and mortality. Prospective cohort study. : Model Systems and Shriners Hospital SCI units.

Using PROMIS Pain Interference Items to Improve Quality Measurement in Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities.

Objective: To evaluate the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) pain interference items for use in a quality measure and to compare the resulting quality score, along with internal reliability and validity, to a similar item set in the Minimum Data Set Version 3.0 (MDS).

Design: Cross-sectional, observational study.

What determines low satisfaction with life in individuals with spinal cord injury?

Objective: To examine variables associated with satisfaction with life (SWL) in individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design: Cross-sectional, national survey to assess SWL, demographic and injury characteristics, health care utilization, chronic conditions (obesity, diabetes, heart problems, lung problems, hypertension, high cholesterol), symptoms (poor sleep, pain, depression), social support, grief/loss, and independence.

Setting/participants: Community-dwelling Veterans with SCI.

Wheelchair Breakdowns Are Associated With Pain, Pressure Injuries, Rehospitalization, and Self-Perceived Health in Full-Time Wheelchair Users With Spinal Cord Injury.

Objectives: To evaluate the relation between wheelchair breakdowns, their immediate consequences, and secondary health complications after spinal cord injury. "Immediate consequences" occur when part of a wheelchair breaks and leaves an individual stranded or injured, or causes him or her to miss medical appointments, work, or school.

Design: Survey, cross-sectional.

Conceptual Underpinnings of the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (Neuro-QoL): Comparisons of Core Sets for Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Cord Injury, and Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objective: To determine the extent to which the content of the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (Neuro-QoL) covers the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for multiple sclerosis (MS), stroke, spinal cord injury (SCI), and traumatic brain injury (TBI) using summary linkage indicators.

Design: Content analysis by linking content of the Neuro-QoL to corresponding ICF codes of each Core Set for MS, stroke, SCI, and TBI.

Setting: Three academic centers.

Construct validity of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery in individuals with stroke.

Objective: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox (NIHTB) for the Assessment of Behavior and Neurological Function Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) provides a brief assessment (approximately 30 min) of key components of cognition. This article examines construct validity to support the clinical utility of the NIHTB-CB in individuals with stroke.

Research Method: A total of 131 individuals with stroke (n = 71 mild stroke; n = 60 moderate/severe stroke) completed the NIHTB-CB.

Cognition among community-dwelling individuals with spinal cord injury.

Purpose/objective: To compare the cognitive profiles of a well-characterized sample of adults with and without spinal cord injury (SCI) using the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery NIHTB-CB. Research Method/Design: Participants were 156 community-dwelling individuals with SCI recruited from 3 academic medical centers, and 156 individuals without SCI selected from the NIHTB-CB normative database (N = 312). The main outcome measures were the demographically adjusted NIHTB-CB subtest and composite scores.

Using the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) in individuals with traumatic brain injury.

Purpose/objective: The NIH Toolbox for the Assessment of Neurological Behavior and Function Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) is a common data element for use in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study evaluates its sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing individuals with complicated mild, moderate, or severe TBI, and provides support for the construct validity of the NIHTB-CB in individuals with TBI.

Research Method: One hundred eighty-two individuals with TBI (n = 83 complicated mild/moderate; n = 99 severe) completed the NIHTB-CB and neuropsychological criterion measures.

Representativeness of the Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems National Database.

Study Design: Secondary analysis of prospectively collected observational data.

Objectives: To assess the representativeness of the Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems National Database (SCIMS-NDB) of all adults aged 18 years or older receiving inpatient rehabilitation in the United States (US) for new onset traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI).

Setting: Inpatient rehabilitation centers in the US.

Development of a short scale for assessing economic environmental aspects in patients with spinal diseases using Rasch analysis.

Background: Economic environmental factors represent important barriers to participation and have deleterious effects on quality of life (QOL) in persons with spinal diseases (SpD). While economic factors are anchored in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, their influence on QOL and participation from patients' perspectives is an infrequent focus of research. The aim of the present research is to calibrate a culturally adapted Rasch-based questionnaire assessing economic QOL in patients with SpD.

Interdisciplinary Approach to the Development of Accessible Computer-Administered Measurement Instruments.

Principles of fairness in testing require that all test takers, including people with disabilities, have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their capacity on the construct being measured. Measurement design features and assessment protocols can pose barriers for people with disabilities. Fairness in testing is a fundamental validity issue at all phases in the design, administration, and interpretation of measurement instruments in clinical practice and research.

Mobility Device Quality Affects Participation Outcomes for People With Disabilities: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis.

Objective: To test the effect that indicators of mobility device quality have on participation outcomes in community-dwelling adults with spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and stroke by using structural equation modeling.

Design: Survey, cross-sectional study, and model testing.

Setting: Clinical research space at 2 academic medical centers and 1 free-standing rehabilitation hospital.

Association Between Sedentary Time and Quality of Life From the Osteoarthritis Initiative: Who Might Benefit Most From Treatment?

Objective: To investigate the relationship between sedentary behavior and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) among participants in the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

Design: Longitudinal, observational design.

Setting: Osteoarthritis Initiative cohort.

Feasibility of Collecting Patient-Reported Outcomes for Inpatient Rehabilitation Quality Reporting.

Objective: To evaluate rehabilitation inpatients' willingness and ability to complete patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and the burden of completion on patients and staff.

Data Sources/study Setting: Two inpatient rehabilitation facilities.

Study Design: Patients with neurological disorders were assigned randomly to receive a nominal monetary incentive during or 1 month after the stay.

Linking of the quality of life in neurological disorders (Neuro-QoL) to the international classification of functioning, disability and health.

Background: The quality of life in neurological disorders (Neuro-QoL) is a U.S. National Institutes of Health initiative that produced a set of self-report measures of physical, mental, and social health experienced by adults or children who have a neurological condition or disorder.

Relationships between environmental factors and participation in adults with traumatic brain injury, stroke, and spinal cord injury: a cross-sectional multi-center study.

Purpose: To develop and evaluate a model of environmental factors-participation relationships for persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, and spinal cord injury (SCI), and test whether this model differed across three diagnostic groups, as well as other demographic and clinical characteristics.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study included 545 community-dwelling adults with neurological disorders (TBI = 166; stroke = 189; SCI = 190) recruited at three academic medical centers. Participants completed patient-reported measures of environmental factors and participation.

Validation of the NIH Toolbox in Individuals with Neurologic Disorders.

Objective: Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and stroke experience a variety of neurologically related deficits across multiple domains of function. The NIH Toolbox for the Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function (NIHTB) examines motor, sensation, cognition, and emotional functioning. The purpose of this paper is to establish the validity of the NIHTB in individuals with neurologic conditions.

My Vocational Situation (MVS): Case Example and Psychometric Review.

This case report provides an overview of the psychometric properties and clinical utility of the My Vocational Situation (MVS) instrument. The accompanying hypothetical case description illustrates how clinicians could use the MVS to evaluate vocational preferences and outcomes and how the MVS can be used to inform treatment planning and rehabilitation decision making. The information contained in this report is intended to familiarize clinicians with the administration and scoring of the MVS, the psychometric information necessary to interpret results obtained from the MVS, and how the results could be used to provide comprehensive, patient-centered care.

Depression and Unmet Needs for Assistance With Daily Activities Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Background And Objectives: This study aims to investigate the impact of depressive symptoms on adverse consequences of unmet needs for assistance with daily activities among community-dwelling older adults.

Research Design And Methods: Data came from round 1 to 5 of the National Health and Aging Trends Study. Study sample consisted of 3,400 Medicare beneficiaries needing assistance with activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), or mobility for any two consecutive years between 2011 and 2015.