Testing reliability and validity of Lorensen's Self-care Capability Scale (LSCS) among older home-living, care-dependent individuals in Norway.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to test reliability and validity of the Lorensen's Self-Care Capability Scale (LSCS). BACKGROUND: The assessment of self-care capability among older people living at home is essential for maintaining independence for as long as possible. METHOD: The study sample consisted of 242 home nursing patients who were 75 + years old and living at home. The responsible home nurses documented their answers. In addition to the LSCS, help dependency, subjective health and demographic characteristics were recorded. Various statistical analyses were used to assess reliability and validity of the LSCS. RESULTS: Reliability of the LSCS was supported by a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.97. Regarding validity, six factors extracted in the factor analysis explained 69.8% of the variance in the group. The extracted factors supported the underlying theoretical assumptions of the instrument. Construct validity was supported by significant differences between groups with expected low and expected high LSCS scores, respectively. Concurrent validity was established by a significant correlation between LSCS and Barthel's ADL Index. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This study has shown that LSCS is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing self-care capability in older people living at home.

Sense of coherence--a determinant of quality of life over time in older female acute myocardial infarction survivors.

AIMS: To determine the relationships between different sense of coherence levels and quality of life, and in older female myocardial infarction survivors; to investigate how socio-demographic, clinical characteristics, sense of coherence self-reported symptoms and function affect quality of life; and to determine whether sense of coherence and quality of life are stable during a six-month follow-up. BACKGROUND: Myocardial infraction confers new physical and mental challenges. However, research on sense of coherence and other factors involved in maintaining physical, psychosocial and environmental aspects of quality of life in older female myocardial infraction survivors is scant. DESIGN: Survey. METHODS: A postal survey was conducted of 145 women, aged 62-80 years, three months to five years after myocardial infarction (T1), with a follow-up after six months (T2). Self-reported socio-demographic and clinical data and hospital medical records data were collected. The sense of coherence scale (SOC-29) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument Abbreviated (WHOQOL-BREF) were used. RESULTS: We found a significant difference in quality of life between weak, moderate, and strong sense of coherence groups (p<0.001). Sense of coherence contributed to the level of all quality of life domains (p<0.001). Several clinical characteristics contributed to quality of life: (1) physical domain: comorbidities (p<0.001), previous myocardial infarction (p = 0.013), ejection fraction (p<0.011), length of hospital stay (p = 0.005) symptoms and function (p<0.001); (2) psychological domain: previous myocardial infarction (p = 0.031) and symptoms and function (p<0.001); and (3) environmental domain: education (p = 0.033) and symptoms and function (p = 0.003). On group level, both sense of coherence and quality of life were stable. Experiencing specific health changes (p<0.001), not major life events, influenced quality of life during the six-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Sense of coherence was an important stable determinant of quality of life domains in female myocardial infarction survivors. Although other factors were identified, further research is needed to elucidate additional determinants of quality of life. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: These specific factors could guide clinicians in making treatment decisions that optimize the quality of life of their patients. Applying a salutogenic perspective through patient education may be important.