WHODAS II with people after stroke and their relatives.

PURPOSE

The present study aimed to measure the internal consistency, inter-rater-reliability and validity of the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHODAS II) for its application to stroke patients and their closest others.

METHOD

Patients were assessed 6 months and 1 year after stroke with the self- and proxy-rating versions of the WHODAS II. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) as well as patients' statements about 'Recovery' and 'Independence' were used as measurements for validity. Patients' statements concerning individual restrictions and limitations were compared with the WHODAS II items.

RESULTS

Internal consistency can be regarded as good to excellent, inter-rater-reliability as satisfactory to good. Item reliability ranged from insufficient to good, the percentage of agreements was below 80%. WHODAS II scale scores of patients with an mRS score of 0 as well as of recovered and independent patients differed significantly from others. Correlation coefficients between WHODAS II Scales and validation measures ranged from fair to high. Correspondence between stroke related problems and WHODAS II items was good.

CONCLUSION

The WHODAS II is a valid, generally reliable and useful instrument for the assessment of stroke patients over the first year after stroke.