Value of measuring perceived problems in a stroke population

Functional status assessments mainly concentrate on difficulty in performance and/or dependency on other people. Very few assessments document the perceived problems of the patient regarding the assessed activities. This study evaluates the added value of measuring perceived problems using a parallel assessment method: the Rehabilitation Activities Profile. The study population consisted of 57 stroke patients living at home, six months after stroke. Thirty-three were receiving therapy (physiotherapy or rehabilitation day care). The patients indicated that they perceived a number of problems, especially on the items 'walking', 'using transport', 'leisure activities' and 'relation with friends/acquaintances'. The perceived problem scores did not relate in a uniform way to the disability scores. The perceived problem scores were dichotomized. The proportions of persons with perceived problems showed statistically significant differences between the therapy group and the nontherapy group for 15 out of 21 items (p < 0.02). The cumulative relative frequency distributions showed that the therapy group indicated significantly more problems than the nontherapy group (p < 0.01). It was concluded that it is at least as important to measure perceived problems as it is to measure disabilities.