ECPICID-AVC: an instrument for measuring self-care in older people after a stroke

Abstract

Introduction: Evidence has shown that informal caregivers complain about their lack of knowledge about causes and effects of stroke together with a lack of practical skills. Caregivers often ask for more information and techniques to improve their skills to take care of older people who suffered a stroke. Objective: To develop and validate an instrument that measures the capacity of informal caregivers to promote self-care in older people who had stroke (ECPICID-AVC). Methods: The development of ECPICID-AVC was carried out based on Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC) taxonomy. A focus group of eleven experts, composed of five rehabilitation nurses, four general nurses one statistician and an academic expert in gerontological nursing was created. Firstly, the focus group discussed and confirmed the structure ECPICID-AVC. After experts decision the instrument had 35 items with six different domains, such as eating/drinking, bathing, oral hygiene, transferring, positioning, (un)dressing, which were tested and retested in 186 informal caregivers who care for older dependent people after a stroke, living in community of Northern Portugal. Results: Factor analysis determined the validity of the instrument; the reliability was assessed using measures of internal consistency and temporal stability (test-retest). It was considered that the ECPICID had initial content validity and high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s α=.77-.90).