Measuring Access to Information and Technology: Environmental Factors Affecting Persons with Neurological Disorders

Publication date: Available online 20 February 2016
Source:Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Author(s): Elizabeth A. Hahn, Sofia F. Garcia, Jin-Shei Lai, Ana Miskovic, Sara Jerousek, Patrick Semik, Alex Wong, Allen W. Heinemann
ObjectiveTo develop and validate a patient-reported measure of Access to Information and Technology (AIT) for persons with spinal cord injury, stroke or traumatic brain injury.DesignA mixed-methods approach was used to develop items, refine them through cognitive interviews, and evaluate their psychometric properties. Item responses were evaluated with the Rasch rating scale model. Correlational and analysis of variance methods were used to evaluate construct validity.SettingCommunity-dwelling individuals participated in telephone interviews or traveled to the academic medical centers where this research took place.ParticipantsParticipants had a diagnosis of spinal cord injury, stroke or traumatic brain injury. They were age 18 or older and English-speaking.InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasuresA set of items to measure AIT for people with disabilities.ResultsTwelve individuals participated in cognitive interviews, 305 participated in field testing of the items, and 604 participated in validation testing of the final set of items. A user-friendly multimedia touchscreen was used for self-administration of the items. A 23-item AIT measure demonstrated good evidence of internal consistency reliability, and content and construct validity.ConclusionsThis new AIT measure will enable researchers and clinicians to determine to what extent environmental factors influence health outcomes and social participation in people with disabilities. The AIT measure could also provide disability advocates with more specific and detailed information about environmental factors to lobby for elimination of barriers.



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