The Stroke Knowledge Assessment Tool (SKAT) : development, reliability and validity

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to develop and test the psychometric properties of a stroke knowledge assessment tool based on a mixed-methods approach and a synthesis of the relevant literature on stroke. The content of the tool was predominantly developed by the findings from a qualitative study involving ten stroke patients who had been admitted to a state hospital due to a stroke during the previous 2 years. The other source for tool construction was the information that emerged from an extensive literature review. The resulting online questionnaire was divided into three main sections namely i) demographics ii) stroke knowledge and iii) stroke response. A 5-point Likert scale was chosen to answer each question in Sections B and C, which facilitates the analysis process using descriptive and inference statistics. The tool was subjected to psychometric testing with promising results. The use of a standard tool, such as SKAT, which is the one presented in this paper, presents health professionals, who are in a prime position to gauge healthcare educational needs, with the means to assess stroke knowledge and carry out interesting uniform comparisons between different geographical and ethnical populations. The targeted audience for the use of this tool is a). The general population and/or b). A population where stroke knowledge enhancement is being planned. SKAT can then inform educational and awareness needs.