Reliability and Validity of the Korean Version of Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire

BACKGROUND: The number of stroke survivors is increasing worldwide, and because stroke survivors are usually living with sequelae, health-related quality of life is growing in importance. The stroke-specific quality of life (SSQOL) questionnaire was developed to assess the quality of life in stroke patients. This study aims to test the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the SSQOL (SSQOL-K). METHODS: This study used a descriptive survey design. The participants consisted of 250 stroke patients visiting Dong-A University Hospital in South Korea, who completed the SSQOL-K, the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index, the Korean version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and the Korean version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Abbreviated Version. For data analysis, exploratory factor analyses with parallel analysis and reliability testing were performed using SPSS version 23.0. RESULTS: The mean total score for the SSQOL-K was 177.75 +/- 40.83 (range, 49-245). In the exploratory factor analysis results, 4 subdomains were identified in the SSQOL-K and all items had a factor loading of greater than 0.30. The SSQOL-K was significantly correlated with the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index, the Korean version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and the Korean version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Abbreviated Version. In reliability testing, the SSQOL-K showed Cronbach alpha of 0.98 in this study, and Cronbach alpha for the 4 subdomains were all 0.70 or greater. CONCLUSIONS: The SSQOL-K is a valid and reliable scale to assess health-related quality of life in Korean stroke patients.