Article

Mobility, specifically community walking, is important, but often
limited among survivors of stroke. The factors that influence the recovery of
community walking are not clearly understood. The purpose of this
research was to examine mobility disability following stroke, specifically: (1)
the association between subjective and objective measures of participation in
community walking and (2) the association between personal factors and
participation in community walking. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study design was
used. METHODS: Fifty community-dwelling survivors of stroke, aged 50 to 79 years,
were enrolled in the study. Participation in community walking was measured
subjectively (perceived difficulty and satisfaction) and objectively using
self-report data (number of trips and walking-related activities) and step data
(pedometer). The association between subjective and objective measures of
participation was analyzed using Pearson correlation. The association of personal
factors (age, sex, number of comorbidities, fatigue, depression, balance and fall
self-efficacy, and importance of walking) with measures of participation was
analyzed using multiple linear regression. RESULTS: Subjective and objective
measures of participation were weakly associated. Self-efficacy was the only
personal factor that was strongly associated with both subjective and objective
measures of participation. Personal factors explained 27% to 55% of the
variability in participation in community walking. LIMITATIONS: Limitations
included a small sample size and limited diversity among participants.
Reliability of the pedometer used in this study has not been established in the stroke population.
CONCLUSIONS: Subjective and objective measures of
participation in community walking were only weakly correlated, suggesting that
they measure different aspects of mobility; thus, to fully capture participation,
it is critical to measure both. Personal factors were associated with subjective
and objective measures of participation and are important in explaining
variability in community walking following stroke.

Langue : ANGLAIS