Reliability of the β scale of self-sufficiency of patients with selected neurological diseases – results of a pilot study

Abstract

The assessment health related  of the level of self-sufficiency is carried out by a nurse in various areas of nursing care, in all age categories. Self-care means the ability to perform activities of daily living  and is an indicator of health and quality of life. The aim of the  study was to validate the new β scale for assessing the self-sufficiency of patients with selected neurological diseases. We evaluated the reliability of the β scale by content and construct (convergent) validity, while we chose Barthel's self-sufficiency test as a comparative scale. The reliability of the β scale was verified by Cronbach's α coefficient. A group of 39 patients with selected neurological diagnoses, after spine injuries, with spinal cord damage, after operations on the locomotor system, who were hospitalized in the National Rehabilitation Center in Kováčová for at least three weeks, were included in the testing. The assessment of the level of self-sufficiency took place in three phases, namely at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of hospitalization. The statistically significant value of the Cronbach's α coefficient was confirmed, the value of which was greater than 0,9 in all three assessments, as well as the significant level of reliability of the β scale, the value of which was less than 0,0001 in all three measurements. The results of the pilot study were compared with the results Barthel's self-sufficiency test. The results pointed to the possibility of further testing of the new scale, on a larger group of patients, which would lead to the improvement of nursing care for patients with selected neurological diseases.