Validation of the Telephone-Based Application of the ABILHAND for Assessment of Manual Ability After Stroke

Background and Purpose: Telephone-based assessment may be a valuable and cost-effective approach to improve monitoring and follow-up assessments in patients and research participants. Telephone-based assessment may be of particular value during times when it is important to reduce in-person contract, such as during the Covid-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to investigate concurrent validity of the telephone-based administration of the ABILHAND for the assessment of manual ability in individuals with stroke. Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, participants with stroke were invited to answer the ABILHAND questionnaire on 2 randomized occasions, face to face and by telephone, 5 to 7 days apart. The mean difference (MD) between the interviews was calculated (95% confidence interval [95% CI]) to investigate the concurrent validity. Intraclass correlation (ICC) and weighted kappa coefficients were used to investigate the agreement between face-to-face and telephone-based administration. Results: One hundred two participants (50 men; mean age = 65 years, SD = 13 years) were included. No significant differences were observed between the mean scores obtained with face-to-face and telephone-based administration of the ABILHAND (MD = -0.06; 95% CI, -0.72 to 0.60). Very high agreement was found between face-to-face and telephone-based administration (ICC = 0.90; 95% CI, 0.85 to 0.93) on the ABILHAND total scores. Most of the individual items had moderate or substantial kappa agreement. Discussion and Conclusions: Telephone-based administration of the ABILHAND is valid for the assessment of manual ability after stroke. Clinicians and researchers may use the ABILHAND for monitoring manual ability in persons with stroke and/or screening potential research participants. Video Abstract availablefor more insights from the authors (see the Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1,).