Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To test sensitivity of the VA LV VFQ-48 to change after rehab. Methods: The instrument was administered by telephone to 71 veterans from Hines Blind Center (BRC) and Chicago West Side Division VICTORS before and 4 months post rehabilitation. The programs are regional referral centers providing an interdisciplinary approach to rehabilitation but differing in program intensity and level of impairment of patients served. Rasch analysis was used to estimate the functional ability of each patient from the patient’s difficulty rating 48 items. Results: Fit statistics indicate that the data fit the Rasch model and define a single functional ability construct. The response thresholds for the 5 difficulty ratings were the same pre and post rehab. Post-rehab item measures were not significantly different from those measured pre rehab. The mean change in person measures is 1.24 logits for BRC patients (equivalent to 1 log unit change in VA, p=2x10-19), but only 0.21 logits (p =0.2) for VICTORS patients. Conclusion: Subjects used the rating scales in the same way and item measure calibrations were the same pre and post rehab. Person measures improved post-rehab for BRC patients, but not VICTORS patients. A possible explanation is that many VICTORS patients had near normal VA and may have been near their functional ability ceiling as measured with our instrument. There are also differences between BRC and VICTORS program intensities. Results confirm that the VA LV VFQ is a sensitive measure of low vision rehab outcomes especially in legally blind patient groups.
Keywords: 459 low vision • 536 quality of life