Translation and validation study of the Chinese version Iconographical Falls Efficacy Scale-Short Version (Icon-FES).

BACKGROUND: The 30-item Iconographical Falls Efficacy Scale (Icon-FES) is the first instrument developed to assess older people's concern about falling using pictures. The short version of Icon-FES (10-item Icon-FES) was translated and adapted to a local Chinese version, and its psychometric properties was evaluated in Chinese older people. METHODS: A forward-backward translation procedure was used, followed by an expert panel review to finalize the 10-item Chinese Icon-FES. One hundred and sixteen Hong Kong Chinese older people (65-95 years) were assessed using the 10-item Chinese Icon-FES in conjunction with the Chinese version 7-item Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I (Ch)). RESULTS: Five of the 10 items in the Icon-FES were modified to achieve the conceptual and cultural relevance in local context. The final Chinese Icon-FES had excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.91) and test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient ICC = 0.93). High correlation was found between the Chinese Icon-FES and FES-I (Ch) (r = .75, p < .001). Construct validity was supported by its ability to discriminate between groups related to demographic and fall risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The Chinese Icon-FES is a valid, efficient and easy-to-use instrument for understanding of local Chinese older people's concerns about falling in Hong Kong.

User satisfaction, community participation and quality of life among Chinese wheelchair users with spinal cord injury: a preliminary study.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationships between spinal cord injury (SCI), wheelchair users' satisfaction, perceptions of their community participation and quality of life (QoL).Thirty-one community wheelchair users with SCI were administered the Chinese version of the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology (C-QUEST), the abbreviated Hong Kong version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHO QoL-BREF (HK)) and selected items of 'Participation Restrictions' and 'Environmental Factors' of the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF). Only a weak correlation was found between the C-QUEST services sub-scores and one ICF environmental factor, that is, health-related professionals (Spearman's r = 0.453; p < 0.05). The C-QUEST device sub-scores were also weakly correlated with four domain scores of the WHO QoL-BREF (HK) (Spearman's r = 0.412-0.567; p < 0.05). Social relationship, participation in leisure and driving activities had a moderate association with scores of the WHO QoL-BREF (HK) (-0.405 > Spearman's r > -0.583; p < 0.05). It is concluded that community participation (e.g. use of transportation) and human environment (e.g. friends and peers) were more related to QoL, than to users' satisfaction with a wheelchair. Further research with a larger sample is recommended to examine the variables related to SCI and QoL.

The validity and applicability of the Chinese version of the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction With Assistive Technology for people with spinal cord injury.

The Quebec User Evaluation With Assistive Technology (Version 2.0; QUEST 2.0) has become an important outcome assessment to capture user satisfaction in the field of assistive technology. The purpose of this study is to investigate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the QUEST 2.0 (C-QUEST) in terms of content and substantive and factor validity and to explore its applicability on user satisfaction on mobility and equipment among Chinese people with spinal cord injury. A group of six expert members were invited to evaluate the content validity and translation quality of the 12-item C-QUEST. The revised version, along with the brief version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF [HK]), was administered on user satisfaction of people with spinal cord injury in the community. The content validity and item performance were evaluated to be satisfactory. Exploratory factor analysis with varimax rotation agreed with the bidimensional structure of Device and Services in the construct of user satisfaction (61.06% variance explained). Items in WHOQOL-BREF (HK) were shown to have positive and moderate correlations with C-QUEST Device items (r = .412-.567, p < .05) but no significant associations with the Services items (p > .05). The 12-item C-QUEST was shown to be a valid and relevant instrument to capture the user satisfaction among Chinese people with spinal cord injury in the context of mobility and seating equipment.