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Galeano C.P.1, Barbosa-Meneses N.E.1, Hernández Álvarez E.D.2, Forero-Espinosa S.M.3, Landinez Parra N.S.2, Nordin A.4, Alt Murphy M.4, Sunnerhagen K.S.4
1Central Military Hospital Colombia, Bogota, Colombia, 2National University of Colombia, Human Movement Department, Bogota, Colombia, 3Central Military Hospital Colombia, Physiotherapy, Bogota, Colombia, 4University of Gothenburg, Inst. of Neuroscience and Physiology, Rehabilitation Medicine, Gothenburg, Sweden
Background: Deficit in motor function is one of the primary impairments and the main cause of disability after a stroke. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) is the most widely used clinical scale in research for evaluation of sensorimotor impairment stroke, but has only been validated in English. Translation and adaptation to Spanish would make a significant contribution to physiotherapeutic practice.
Purpose: The present study aims to perform and validate a transcultural translation of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment to Spanish in post stroke patients at Central Military Hospital of Colombia.
Methods: The FMA was translated from English and Swedish to Spanish following a standardized forward- and backward-translation protocol to determine the equivalence in concept and in wording. To perform transcultural validation, bilingual experts reviewers (English/Spanish) verified congruency of the language and comprehension in the translation of the instrument. Pilot testing of the Spanish translation was subsequently completed in 10 persons with stroke.
Results: Translations both from Swedish and English version to Spanish were performed. Similarities and discrepancies were discussed and changes were agreed upon mainly regarding wording and professional terms. The percentage of agreement among the expert group for each item varied between 56% and 100%. Once the pilot trial was finalized, an observational analysis was conducted of the processes of application and of the results obtained. Finally, in concurrence with researchers familiar with the original version of FMA, consensus was achieved on a final translated version of the FMA.
Conclusion(s): In this study, a transcultural adaptation of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for patients with post stroke for use in Colombian population was carried out by means of a rigorous process. The next step will be to assess its psychometric properties to enable evaluation of motor function in Colombian patients.
Implications: Validation of the FMA from English to Spanish offers an important step toward evaluation of motor function as part of patients recovery after stroke in a valid and standardized way in clinical praxis.
Funding acknowledgements: Central Military Hospital and the National University of Colombia for support, this project funding Central Military Hospital Project No. 2013059
Topic: Neurology: stroke
Ethics approval: hospitals Ethics Committee Act No. 9 from its June 12, 2013 session. This was a minimal risk research
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
