Balance Confidence: A Predictor of Perceived Physical Function, Perceived Mobility, and Perceived Recovery 1 Year After Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effect of balance confidence measured at 1 month poststroke rehabilitation on perceived physical function, mobility, and stroke recovery 12 months later.

DESIGN: Longitudinal study (secondary analysis).

SETTING: Multisite, community-based.

PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling individuals (N=69) with stroke living in a home setting.

INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale; physical function and mobility subscales of the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0; and a single item from the Stroke Impact Scale for perceived recovery.

RESULTS: Balance confidence at 1 month postdischarge from inpatient rehabilitation predicts perceived physical function (model 1), mobility (model 2), and recovery (model 3) 12 months later after adjusting for important covariates. The covariates included in model 1 were age, sex, basic mobility, and depression. The covariates selected for model 2 were age, sex, balance capacity, and anxiety, and the covariates in model 3 were age, sex, walking capacity, and social support. The amount of variance in perceived physical function, perceived mobility, and perceived recovery that balance confidence accounted for was 12%, 9%, and 10%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: After discharge from inpatient rehabilitation poststroke, balance confidence predicts individuals' perceived physical function, mobility, and recovery 12 months later. There is a need to address balance confidence at discharge from inpatient stroke rehabilitation.