Reliability of pictorial Longshi Scale for informal caregivers to evaluate the functional independence and disability.
Xiangxiang Liu, Yan Gao, Jingpu Zhao and 4 others
PMID 36336801WHAT IT FOUND
Unpaid family caregivers can reliably use a pictorial scale to assess patient disability, matching professional scores for those with secondary education or higher.
Caregivers with only primary education showed significant disagreement with professionals, suggesting they need support or different tools.
Key findings
01Informal caregivers' scores on the Longshi Scale showed moderate to good agreement with healthcare professionals across most items.
02Caregivers with secondary school education or higher assessed patients accurately compared to professionals, but those with primary school education did not.
03Agreement was highest for community mobility and shopping items, and lowest for grooming, bathing, and toileting.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used a non-random sampling method, recruiting from collaborative hospitals, which may limit generalizability. Caregivers and professionals assessed patients on the same day, introducing potential bias as caregivers might have observed or discussed the assessment, despite instructions not to. The study excluded patients with mental illness, serious cognitive dysfunction (MMSE < 27), and non-Mandarin speakers, so findings do not apply to these groups. Only adults were included, so the reliability of this scale for pediatric patients is unknown. The cross-sectional design prevents establishing causality or tracking long-term reliability.
Declared interests
The authors declared no commercial or financial conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the National Key R&D Program of China, Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume all informal caregivers can reliably assess patient function. The study found that caregivers with only a primary school education significantly disagreed with professional assessments. Relying on their scores without verification could lead to inaccurate care planning.