Development and validation of the Unmet Needs Questionnaire for young stroke survivors

Abstract

Objective Owing to the lack of a suitable tool for detecting the unmet needs of young stroke survivors, this study aims to develop a validated questionnaire for evaluating these unmet needs. Design A cross-sectional, observational research design. Setting Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou and Taoyuan branches in Taiwan. Participants A total of 211 participants (average age 53 years; within 6 months post-stroke) completed the questionnaire. Main measures A qualitative approach was used to create an item pool. Experts verified item suitability, and content validity was evaluated using the item content validity index. Item analysis was applied to determine item quality, and factor analysis was used to explore construct validity. In addition, parallel analysis was employed to ascertain the optimal number of factors. Results The scale development procedure resulted in a 27-item questionnaire that assesses the unmet needs of young stroke survivors after a stroke. The item content validity index was 1.0. The Unmet Needs Questionnaire has five factors: restoring prestroke abilities and life, rehabilitation-related resources, social support and self-adjustment, economic and post-stroke life adjustment, and stroke-related information. These five factors accounted for 54% of the variance. Cronbach's alpha for the total scale was 0.91, while the alpha for the subscales ranged from 0.74 to 0.88. Conclusions The Unmet Needs Questionnaire showed acceptable reliability and validity. It can help clinical professionals and government agencies identify stroke survivors’ unmet needs and develop tailored care plans. Future research should explore the trajectory of post-stroke unmet needs using this tool.