ARTICLE –
abstractAdvantages
and limitations of generic tools for evaluating the quality of life in
patients with spastic hemiparesis Brindusa Ilinca Mitoiu 1,2, Dana Galieta Minca1 1Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania 2National Institute of Rehabiltation, Physical Medicine and Balneoclimatology, IIIrd University Clinic, Bucharest, Romania
Abstract
Quality of
life is an increasingly important matter to relate to in modern
societies due to deeper concern in the economic area as well as in the
evaluation of the eficiency of the medical services not only on health,
but on all aspects of patient’s life. Assessment of quality of life
after stroke, as a major disability starter, is the first step in the
challenge to improve the quality of stroke survivors. This review is
the first step in a larger study that aims to assess the benefits of
the rehabilitation program in patients with spastic hemiparesis in
terms of quality of life as a final point of interest in clinical and
functional therapeutic target. It contains a summary of the most used
generic tools for the assessment of quality of life in stroke and aims
a short analysis of their advantages and disadvantages. Conclusions.
The perfect, optimal quality of life instrument varies depending on the
intended purpose and is based on its different psychometric attributes.
These scales are not recommended for monitoring each patient and should
not replace existing standardized instruments that examine deficiencies
or functional limitations, but they could be implemented by therapists
as a means of identifying specific elements that affect quality of
life. Using such an instrument as part of a battery of tools will
help in identifying and targeting all aspects of health to provide the
best results in the management of stroke survivors.
Key
words:stroke, disability, rehabilitation
|