Intra-rater and Inter-rater Reliability of the Hierarchical Balance Short Forms in Patients With Stroke

Publication date: Available online 25 July 2016
Source:Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Author(s): Wan-Hui Yu, Kuan-Lin Chen, Sheau-Ling Huang, Wen-Shian Lu, Shu-Chun Lee, Ching-Lin Hsieh
ObjectiveTo examine the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of a quick balance measure, the Hierarchical Balance Short Forms (HBSF), in outpatients with stroke receiving rehabilitation.DesignA repeated-assessments design (one week apart) was used to examine the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the HBSF. The HBSF was administered by a single rater in the intra-rater reliability study and by two raters in the inter-rater reliability study. The raters had sufficient working experience in stroke rehabilitation.SettingSeven teaching hospitals.ParticipantsTwo independent groups of outpatients (each with 53) with stroke in chronic stages and in stable medical condition were recruited.InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasuresHBSFResultsFor the intra-rater reliability study, the values of the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), minimal detectable change (MDC), and percentage of MDC (MDC%) were 0.95, 1.02, and 16.3%, respectively, for the HBSF. The 95% limits of agreement (LOA) of the HBSF ranged from -0.69 to 1.19. For the inter-rater reliability study, the values of the ICC, MDC, and MDC% were 0.91, 1.22, and 18.3%, respectively, for the HBSF. The 95% LOA of the HBSF ranged from -1.01 to 1.35.ConclusionsOur results suggest that the HBSF has satisfactory intra-rater and inter-rater reliability for assessing balance function in outpatients with stroke. The MDC values of the HBSF are useful for both researchers and clinicians to determine whether the change in balance function of an individual patient is real when administered by an individual rater or by different raters.



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