Validation of the Specific Activity Scale Hong Kong Chinese Version Among Chinese Patients with Heart Diseases

CHAN ET AL.: Validation of the Specific Activity Scale Hong Kong Chinese Version among Chinese Patients with Heart Diseases. Background: The interview-based Specific Activity Scale classified cardiac patients into four functional classes based on ability in performing the specific activities with symptom consideration. This tool is widely used by occupational therapist in evaluating the functional performance in cardiac rehabilitation program but it has not been translated into Chinese language. Objective: The objective is to study concurrent validity and test-retest reliability of the Specific Activity Scale Hong Kong Chinese version (SASHKCV) on patients with heart diseases in Hong Kong. Methods: This was a prospective study where cardiac patients were recruited in day cardiac rehabilitation centres. SASHKCV was conducted twice within 7 days. Metabolic Equivalent (MET) in stress test was collected within study period. Results: 179 patients had completed the SASHKCV and stress test. Patients with recent Myocardial Infarction (MI) during initial assessment were classified as MI group. The other patients were sorted into non-MI group. The results of the test-retest reliability of the MI group was 0.948 (p<0.001), and that of the non-MI group was 0.933 (p<0.001). Total group correlation was 0.944 (p<0.001). Furthermore, the correlation between the functional class of SASHKCV and MET in MI group was 0.459 (p<0.001) and non-MI group was 0.536 (p<0.001). Overall correlation coefficient was 0.496 (p<0.001). Conclusion: SASHKCV is a valid and reliable tool in evaluating