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A semi-structured interview to capture manual wheelchair use for mobility activities among individuals with spinal cord injury in real-life situations: development and content validity of the Wheelchair Mobility Activity Log (WC-MAL)

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Abstract

Study design

Mixed-method approach.

Objectives

To develop and assess the content validity of a semi-structured interview that captures the lived experience of using a manual wheelchair among individuals with SCI in the real world, the Wheelchair Mobility Activity Log (WC-MAL).

Setting

SCIR-Group (UDESC)/Brazil.

Methods

Develo** the WC-MAL comprised five steps: (1) defining the construct—based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF); (2) identifying relevant activities from other assessment instruments and interviews with the end-users (14 Individuals with SCI and 13 rehabilitation professionals); (3) Selecting the items – activities were linked to ICF codes and grouped into sets; (4) develo** the scoring scales based on interviews with the end-users; and, (5) evaluating content validity in accordance with the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN). The content validity ratio (CVR) for each item and scale and the overall instrument content validity index (CVI) were calculated.

Results

From an initial draft of 295 activities identified, a set of 222 activities was linked to the ICF domain of “Mobility (d4)” and further refined to generate the 23 items in the WC-MAL. Three scales were developed to assess Frequency (how often), Performance (how well), and Assistance (assistance needed) levels. The items and scales showed a CVR superior to the critical value established (≥0.64). The general CVI value was 0.96.

Conclusion

The WC-MAL is a promising clinical instrument with adequate content validity to assess the spontaneous use of the manual wheelchair in the real world among individuals with SCI.

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Data availability

The data will be available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all participants of the study for their time.

Funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Brazil—Finance Code 001; and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e Inovação do Estado de Santa Catarina (FAPESC), Brazil—TO 2023TR501.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiotherapy, Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Research Group (SCIR-Group), Physiotherapy Graduate Program, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil

    Giovana S. Sprizon, Lorena O. Almeida & Jocemar Ilha

  2. Department of Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil

    Natália D. Pereira

  3. Department of Occupational Therapy, The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA

    Sarah M. Dos Anjos

  4. Department of Physical Therapy, The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA

    Sarah M. Dos Anjos & David M. Morris

Authors
  1. Giovana S. Sprizon
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  3. Lorena O. Almeida
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  4. Sarah M. Dos Anjos
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  5. David M. Morris
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  6. Jocemar Ilha
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Contributions

GSS, NDP, and JI contributed to the study conceptualisation and design. GSS and LOA contributed to the data collection. GSS, NDP, LOA, and JI contributed to the data analysis. GSS, NDP, LOA, and JI contributed to the data interpretation. SMA and DMM contributed to the transcultural adaptation. GSS and JI wrote the manuscript. GSS, NDP, LOA, SMA, and DMM preview the manuscript prior to submission.

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Correspondence to Jocemar Ilha.

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Sprizon, G.S., Pereira, N.D., Almeida, L.O. et al. A semi-structured interview to capture manual wheelchair use for mobility activities among individuals with spinal cord injury in real-life situations: development and content validity of the Wheelchair Mobility Activity Log (WC-MAL). Spinal Cord (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-024-01011-7

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