by Lui How Lin. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 114-126). / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.i / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / "LIST OF APPENDIX, FIGURES & TABLES" --- p.v / Chapter CHAPTER 1. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter CHAPTER 2. --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.3 / Introduction --- p.3 / Incidence and Prevalence of Stroke in Hong Kong --- p.3 / Social Influences on the Identification of Need --- p.4 / Concept of Disablement 。 --- p.7 / Concept of Rehabilitation --- p.8 / Review the Focus of Studies in Stroke Rehabilitation --- p.9 / Summary of Studies Exploring Patients' Needs --- p.19 / Rehabilitation Role of Nurses --- p.22 / Summary --- p.27 / AIM OF THE STUDY --- p.27 / OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY --- p.28 / DEFINITION OF PERCEIVED NEED IN THE STUDY --- p.28 / Chapter CHAPTER 3. --- METHOD OF THE STUDY --- p.29 / Introduction --- p.29 / Research Design --- p.29 / Preparatory Fieldwork --- p.31 / Sampling --- p.32 / Fieldwork Procedure --- p.37 / Gaining Access --- p.38 / Ethical Consideration --- p.38 / Data Collection --- p.39 / Data Analysis --- p.41 / Pilot Study --- p.48 / Issues of Reliability and Validity --- p.52 / Chapter CHAPTER 4. --- FINDINGS --- p.56 / Introduction --- p.56 / Description of Sample: Settings and Informants --- p.56 / Functional Recovery Pattern of Informants --- p.60 / Summary Description of the Major Categories Identified --- p.62 / Description of Common Needs of Stroke Patients: --- p.64 / In the acute setting --- p.64 / In the rehabilitation setting --- p.76 / One month after discharge home --- p.85 / Unmet Needs of Stroke Patients --- p.90 / Chapter CHAPTER 5. --- DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATION FOR NURSING PRACTICE --- p.92 / Discussion of Findings: Introduction --- p.92 / Pattern of Change in Need Across Various Stages of Recovery --- p.92 / Informational need --- p.92 / Psychological need --- p.95 / Physical need --- p.97 / Social need --- p.99 / Spiritual need --- p.100 / Factors Determining the Extent to which Need can be Met --- p.101 / Barriers Impeding the Extent to which Need can be Met --- p.102 / Summary --- p.108 / Implication for Nursing Practice --- p.109 / Chapter CHAPTER 6. --- CONCLUSION AND LIMITATION OF STUDY --- p.110 / Introduction --- p.110 / Limitation of the Study --- p.110 / Recommended Further Research --- p.112 / Conclusion --- p.113 / REFERENCES --- p.114 / APPENDIX --- p.127

Chang Anne Marie. / "April 1999." / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 245-280). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

Chan, Chun Kit. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 147-161). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chaper 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- General introduction to cerebral stroke --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Different types of cerebral stroke --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Statistics --- p.3 / Chapter 1.4 --- Symptoms of cerebral stroke --- p.4 / Chapter 1.5 --- Complications of cerebral stroke --- p.5 / Chapter 1.6 --- Risks and preventions of cerebral stroke --- p.6 / Chapter 1.7 --- Cerebral stroke treatment --- p.8 / Chapter 1.8 --- Post stroke rehabilitation --- p.11 / Chapter 1.9 --- Mechanisms of stroke --- p.15 / Chapter 1.9.1 --- Energy production failure and loss of ionic homeostasis --- p.15 / Chapter 1.9.2 --- Excitotoxicity --- p.16 / Chapter 1.9.3 --- Calcium ions mediated toxicity --- p.17 / Chapter 1.9.4 --- Passive neuronal cell death --- p.18 / Chapter 1.9.5 --- Oxidative stress --- p.19 / Chapter 1.9.6 --- Inflammation --- p.22 / Chapter 1.9.7 --- Apoptosis --- p.25 / Chapter 1.10 --- Potential therapeutic agents for cerebral stroke --- p.24 / Chapter 1.10.1 --- Anti-oxidative enzyme and free radical scavengers --- p.24 / Chapter 1.10.2 --- Ions channel blockers and glutamate antagonists --- p.26 / Chapter 1.10.3 --- Anti-inflammatory agent --- p.28 / Chapter 1.10.4 --- Anti-apoptotic agent --- p.28 / Chapter 1.11 --- Experimental model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion --- p.29 / Chapter 1.11.1 --- In vitro model (oxygen and glucose deprivation model) --- p.29 / Chapter 1.11.2 --- In vivo model (Middle cerebral artery occlusion) --- p.31 / Chapter 1.12 --- Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) --- p.32 / Chapter 1.12.1 --- General Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine --- p.32 / Chapter 1.12.2 --- TCM and cerebral stroke --- p.33 / Chapter 1.12.3 --- Chinese compound formula --- p.34 / Chapter 1.12.4 --- Introduction to individual herb --- p.34 / Chapter 1.12.4.1 --- Astragali Radix (Pinyin name: Huangqi) --- p.34 / Chapter 1.12.4.2 --- Rhizoma Chuanxiong (Pinyin name: Chuanxiong) --- p.35 / Chapter 1.12.4.3 --- Radix Salviae Miltorrhizae (Pinyin name: Danshen) --- p.35 / Chapter 1.12.4.4 --- Cassia Obtusifolia Linne (Pinyin name: Jue Ming Zi) --- p.36 / Chapter 1.12.4.5 --- Radix Glycyrrhizae (Pinyin name: Gancao) --- p.37 / Chapter 1.12.4.6 --- Radix Angelicae Sinensis (Pinyin name: Dongquai) --- p.37 / Chapter 1.12.4.7 --- Paeoniae Veitchii Radix (Pinyin name: Chi Shao) --- p.38 / Chapter 1.12.5 --- Salvianolic acid B --- p.39 / Chapter 1.13 --- Aim of study --- p.40 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.41 / Chapter 2.1 --- Materials --- p.41 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Drug --- p.41 / Chapter 2.1.1.1 --- Herbal Medicine --- p.41 / Chapter 2.1.1.2 --- Herbal extraction of PSR --- p.42 / Chapter 2.1.1.3 --- Herbal extraction of individual herb --- p.43 / Chapter 2.1.1.4 --- Salvianolic acid B --- p.43 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Chemical --- p.44 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Animal --- p.48 / Chapter 2.2 --- Methods --- p.49 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- (AAPH)- induced erythrocyte hemolysis --- p.49 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Cell Culture study --- p.51 / Chapter 2.2.2.1 --- Cell Line --- p.51 / Chapter 2.2.2.2 --- Cell differentiation --- p.52 / Chapter 2.2.2.3 --- In vitro model of ischemia - Oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) experiment --- p.53 / Chapter 2.2.2.4 --- Cell viability assay --- p.54 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- In vivo Study --- p.54 / Chapter 2.2.3.1 --- Cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurement --- p.54 / Chapter 2.2.3.2 --- In vivo transient focal cerebral ischemia model - Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) --- p.55 / Chapter 2.2.3.3 --- Administration of PSR --- p.57 / Chapter 2.2.3.4 --- Administration of salvianolic acid B (SAB) --- p.59 / Chapter 2.2.3.5 --- Measurement of brain infarct volume --- p.60 / Chapter 2.2.3.6 --- In vivo anti-oxidative enzyme activity determination in the brain --- p.61 / Chapter 2.2.3.6.1 --- Brain tissue preparation --- p.61 / Chapter 2.2.3.6.2 --- Tissue homogenization and protein extraction --- p.61 / Chapter 2.2.3.6.3 --- Protein concentration determination --- p.63 / Chapter 2.2.3.6.4 --- Catalase activity determination in the brain --- p.63 / Chapter 2.2.3.6.5 --- Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) activity determination in the brain --- p.64 / Chapter 2.2.3.6.6 --- The Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) activity determination in the brain --- p.65 / Chapter 2.2.3.7 --- Behavioral Evaluation --- p.66 / Chapter 2.2.3.7.1 --- Neurological behavioural test --- p.66 / Chapter 2.2.3.7.2 --- Shuttle box escape experiment --- p.67 / Chapter 2.3 --- Statistical analyses --- p.71 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Results --- p.72 / Chapter 3.1 --- In vitro model of ischemia - Oxygen glucose and deprivation (OGD) experiment --- p.72 / Chapter 3.2 --- AAPH assay of PSR --- p.75 / Chapter 3.3 --- AAPH assay of individual herb --- p.77 / Chapter 3.4 --- Brain slices after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) experiment --- p.81 / Chapter 3.5 --- Brain infarct volume of single dose protocol --- p.83 / Chapter 3.6 --- Neurological behavioural test of single dose protocol --- p.85 / Chapter 3.7 --- Brain infarct volume of double doses protocol --- p.87 / Chapter 3.8 --- Neurological behavioural test of double doses protocol --- p.89 / Chapter 3.9 --- Determination of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the brain --- p.91 / Chapter 3.10 --- Determination of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in the brain --- p.93 / Chapter 3.11 --- Determination of catalase activity in the brain --- p.95 / Chapter 3.12 --- Brain infarction volume of Salvianolic acid B (SAB) treatment --- p.98 / Chapter 3.13 --- Neurological behavioural test of SAB treatment --- p.100 / Chapter 3.14 --- Shuttle box performance in training and testing series --- p.102 / Chapter 3.15 --- Change in shuttle box performance (% avoidance c.f. last day of training) in testing series --- p.104 / Chapter 3.16 --- Escape latency in testing and training series --- p.107 / Chapter 3.17 --- Change in escape latency (c.f. last day of training) in testing series --- p.109 / Chapter 3.18 --- Brain infarct volume of shuttle box escape experiment --- p.112 / Chapter 3.19 --- Neurological score in shuttle box escape experiment --- p.114 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Discussion --- p.117 / Chapter 4.1 --- The protective effect of PSR in in vitro oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) on human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line --- p.117 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- OGD model and cell line --- p.117 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Protective effect of PSR in OGD experiment --- p.118 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Free radical scavenging property of PSR --- p.120 / Chapter 4.2 --- The protective effects of PSR in in vivo middle cerebral artery (MCAo) model --- p.121 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- The shortcomings of in vitro OGD model --- p.121 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Development of in vivo MCAo model and TTC staining --- p.122 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Protective effect of PSR in MCAo experiment (single dose protocol) --- p.124 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Protective effect of PSR in MCAo experiment (double doses protocol) --- p.125 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- The effect of PSR toward neurological deficits --- p.127 / Chapter 4.2.6 --- Anti-oxidative effects of PSR in MCAo model --- p.128 / Chapter 4.3 --- The protective effects of SAB in in vivo middle cerebral artery (MCAo) model --- p.130 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Free radical scavenging property of different herbs --- p.130 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Selection of pure compound that used to treat stroke --- p.131 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Protective effect of Salvianolic B in MCAo experiment --- p.132 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- The effect of SAB toward neurological deficits --- p.133 / Chapter 4.4 --- The effects of PSR and SAB on stroked rats' performance in shuttle box escape experiment --- p.134 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Establishment of shuttle box escape experiment --- p.134 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Effects of PSR and SAB on avoidance performance --- p.135 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Effects of PSR and SAB on escape latency --- p.138 / Chapter 4.5 --- Assessment on the contribution of SAB to the protective effect of PSR --- p.140 / Chapter 4.6 --- Comparison of acute and chronic testing --- p.140 / Chapter 4.6.1 --- The protective effect of the drugs (Histopathological examination) --- p.140 / Chapter 4.6.2 --- The severity of motor deficit (Neurological score) --- p.141 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Conclusion and Future prospect --- p.143 / Chapter 5.1 --- Conclusion --- p.143 / Chapter 5.2 --- Future prospect --- p.144 / References --- p.147

Introdução: A medida da qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde vem se tornando um modelo importante de avaliação em muitos estudos clínicos. Especial consideração deve ser dada à doença cerebrovascular por ser freqüente e de graves conseqüências físicas, sociais, familiares e econômicas. No Brasil não dispomos de um instrumento específico de avaliação da qualidade de vida validado para uso em pacientes com doença cerebrovascular isquêmica. Este estudo avaliou as medidas psicométricas do instrumento de avaliação da qualidade de vida específico para a doença cerebrovascular do tipo isquêmico, adaptado transculturalmente para a língua portuguesa (Stroke specific quality of life scale, SS-QOL). Metodologia: Foram avaliados 50 pacientes com história de doença cerebrovascular do tipo isquêmico, com idade superior a 45 anos e com evolução clínica superior a 3 meses da data do íctus, assistidos no Centro Catarinense de Reabilitação em Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. O instrumento SS-QOL foi aplicado em duas entrevistas com intervalo médio, entre elas, de 2 a 4 semanas. Paralelo a esta medida, foram aplicados, na primeira entrevista, os instrumentos: índice Barthel, inventário de depressão de Beck, escala de doença cerebrovascular do Instituto Nacional de Saúde dos Estados Unidos da América (NIHSS) e o estudo de resultados médicos - versão curta de 36 itens (SF-36). A avaliação da confiabilidade (estabilidade e consistência interna) do SS-QOL foi testada por meio da análise do coeficiente de confiabilidade, com o modelo teste-reteste, e do valor alfa de Cronbach. A validação do constructo e de critério foi estabelecida através da correlação linear entre os resultados obtidos para cada domínio e os resultados obtidos nas medidas escolhidas como padrão ouro para aquele domínio medido pelo coeficiente de correlação de Pearson (r). A capacidade discriminativa do constructo foi testada comparando o escore médio do SS-QOL entre os pacientes que referiam alteração da qualidade de vida e os pacientes que não referiram alteração da qualidade de vida em relação à época antes do infarto cerebral. Ela também foi avaliada comparando o escore médio do SS-QOL em relação à gravidade clínica da doença medida pela escala NIHSS e pelo grau de incapacidade funcional avaliado pela escala de Rankin modificado. Resultados: O SS-QOL, versão para a língua portuguesa, apresentou boa aceitabilidade, não tendo informações perdidas nem porcentagem aumentada de respostas com efeito teto ou solo. A confiabilidade do instrumento foi considerada excelente, com coeficiente de correlação intraclasse de 0,95 (p < 0,001) e o valor alfa de Cronbach de 0,98 (p < 0,001). O grau de correlação linear dos domínios do SS-QOL com as demais medidas escolhidas para cada domínio foi considerado de razoável a moderadamente elevado, com valor de r variando de 0,42 a 0,91 (p < 0,01). O SS-QOL mostrou capacidade discriminativa adequada ao detectar diferenças estatisticamente significantes no escore médio dos pacientes que referiram alteração da qualidade de vida e dos que não alegaram alteração da qualidade de vida em relação a antes de a doença ter ocorrido e no escore médio dos pacientes com doença considerada leve em relação aos pacientes com doença considerada moderada (p < 0,001). A análise de variância revelou diferenças estatisticamente significantes no escore médio dos pacientes estratificados pelo grau de incapacidade funcional (p < 0,01). Conclusão: O SS-QOL, adaptado para a língua portuguesa, apresentou medidas psicométricas consideradas satisfatórias, estando adequado para a utilização como uma ferramenta de avaliação da qualidade de vida em pacientes com doença cerebrovascular na prática médica diária ou em estudos clínicos. / Introduction: Measurement of health related quality of life has become an important evaluation model in many clinical studies. Special consideration must be given to the cerebrovascular disease because it is frequent and has serious physical, social, familial and economic consequences. We do not have, in Brazil, a specific instrument to evaluate health related quality of life validated for stroke patients. This study evaluates psychometric measures of the stroke specific quality of life scale cross-culturally adapted to Portuguese language (SS-QOL). Methodology: We evaluated 50 stroke patients, admitted to the Centro Catarinense de Reabilitação in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, older than 45 years old with time of lesion superior to 3 months. The SS-QOL was applied in two interviews with average interval, between them, of 2 to 4 weeks. Parallel to the instrument, we applied, in the first interview, the Barthel index, Beck depression inventory, National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) and the Medical outcome study - short version of 36 items (SF-36). The SS-QOL reliability evaluation (stability and internal consistency) was tested with the analysis of the stability coefficient with test-retest model, and the Cronbach?s alpha value. The construct and criterion validation was established by comparing the linear correlation between the results for each domain and the results of the chosen gold standard measures for that domain measured with Pearson correlation coefficient (r). The discriminant capacity was tested comparing the SS-QOL mean scores of patients who referred changes in the quality of life and those that did not refer it in relation to the prestroke period. It was also evaluated comparing the SS-QOL mean score in relation to disease clinical gravity measured with the NIHSS and the degree of functional incapacity evaluated by Rankin modified scale. Results: The SS-QOL, Portuguese language version has good acceptability. It does not have missing data or increased percentage of ceiling or floor effect. The stability was considered excellent with intraclass correlation coefficient of 0,95 (p < 0.001) and the Cronbach?s alpha value of 0,98 (p < 0,001). The degree of linear correlation of the SS-QOL domains with the chosen measures for each domain was considered reasonable to moderately high with r values varying from 0,42 to 0.91 (p < 0,01). The SS-QOL presented suitable discriminant capacity detecting differences, statistically significant, in the mean score of patients who had referred changes in the quality of life and those that did not refer it in relation to the prestroke period and in the mean score of patients with mild stroke and those with moderate stroke. The variance analysis showed statistically significant differences in the mean score of patients stratified by the functional incapacity degree (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The SS-QOL, adapted to Portuguese language, had psychometric measures considered satisfactory. It is suitable to use as a tool of quality of life evaluation in patients with stroke in the daily clinical practice or clinical studies.

Introdução: A medida da qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde vem se tornando um modelo importante de avaliação em muitos estudos clínicos. Especial consideração deve ser dada à doença cerebrovascular por ser freqüente e de graves conseqüências físicas, sociais, familiares e econômicas. No Brasil não dispomos de um instrumento específico de avaliação da qualidade de vida validado para uso em pacientes com doença cerebrovascular isquêmica. Este estudo avaliou as medidas psicométricas do instrumento de avaliação da qualidade de vida específico para a doença cerebrovascular do tipo isquêmico, adaptado transculturalmente para a língua portuguesa (Stroke specific quality of life scale, SS-QOL). Metodologia: Foram avaliados 50 pacientes com história de doença cerebrovascular do tipo isquêmico, com idade superior a 45 anos e com evolução clínica superior a 3 meses da data do íctus, assistidos no Centro Catarinense de Reabilitação em Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. O instrumento SS-QOL foi aplicado em duas entrevistas com intervalo médio, entre elas, de 2 a 4 semanas. Paralelo a esta medida, foram aplicados, na primeira entrevista, os instrumentos: índice Barthel, inventário de depressão de Beck, escala de doença cerebrovascular do Instituto Nacional de Saúde dos Estados Unidos da América (NIHSS) e o estudo de resultados médicos - versão curta de 36 itens (SF-36). A avaliação da confiabilidade (estabilidade e consistência interna) do SS-QOL foi testada por meio da análise do coeficiente de confiabilidade, com o modelo teste-reteste, e do valor alfa de Cronbach. A validação do constructo e de critério foi estabelecida através da correlação linear entre os resultados obtidos para cada domínio e os resultados obtidos nas medidas escolhidas como padrão ouro para aquele domínio medido pelo coeficiente de correlação de Pearson (r). A capacidade discriminativa do constructo foi testada comparando o escore médio do SS-QOL entre os pacientes que referiam alteração da qualidade de vida e os pacientes que não referiram alteração da qualidade de vida em relação à época antes do infarto cerebral. Ela também foi avaliada comparando o escore médio do SS-QOL em relação à gravidade clínica da doença medida pela escala NIHSS e pelo grau de incapacidade funcional avaliado pela escala de Rankin modificado. Resultados: O SS-QOL, versão para a língua portuguesa, apresentou boa aceitabilidade, não tendo informações perdidas nem porcentagem aumentada de respostas com efeito teto ou solo. A confiabilidade do instrumento foi considerada excelente, com coeficiente de correlação intraclasse de 0,95 (p < 0,001) e o valor alfa de Cronbach de 0,98 (p < 0,001). O grau de correlação linear dos domínios do SS-QOL com as demais medidas escolhidas para cada domínio foi considerado de razoável a moderadamente elevado, com valor de r variando de 0,42 a 0,91 (p < 0,01). O SS-QOL mostrou capacidade discriminativa adequada ao detectar diferenças estatisticamente significantes no escore médio dos pacientes que referiram alteração da qualidade de vida e dos que não alegaram alteração da qualidade de vida em relação a antes de a doença ter ocorrido e no escore médio dos pacientes com doença considerada leve em relação aos pacientes com doença considerada moderada (p < 0,001). A análise de variância revelou diferenças estatisticamente significantes no escore médio dos pacientes estratificados pelo grau de incapacidade funcional (p < 0,01). Conclusão: O SS-QOL, adaptado para a língua portuguesa, apresentou medidas psicométricas consideradas satisfatórias, estando adequado para a utilização como uma ferramenta de avaliação da qualidade de vida em pacientes com doença cerebrovascular na prática médica diária ou em estudos clínicos. / Introduction: Measurement of health related quality of life has become an important evaluation model in many clinical studies. Special consideration must be given to the cerebrovascular disease because it is frequent and has serious physical, social, familial and economic consequences. We do not have, in Brazil, a specific instrument to evaluate health related quality of life validated for stroke patients. This study evaluates psychometric measures of the stroke specific quality of life scale cross-culturally adapted to Portuguese language (SS-QOL). Methodology: We evaluated 50 stroke patients, admitted to the Centro Catarinense de Reabilitação in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, older than 45 years old with time of lesion superior to 3 months. The SS-QOL was applied in two interviews with average interval, between them, of 2 to 4 weeks. Parallel to the instrument, we applied, in the first interview, the Barthel index, Beck depression inventory, National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) and the Medical outcome study - short version of 36 items (SF-36). The SS-QOL reliability evaluation (stability and internal consistency) was tested with the analysis of the stability coefficient with test-retest model, and the Cronbach?s alpha value. The construct and criterion validation was established by comparing the linear correlation between the results for each domain and the results of the chosen gold standard measures for that domain measured with Pearson correlation coefficient (r). The discriminant capacity was tested comparing the SS-QOL mean scores of patients who referred changes in the quality of life and those that did not refer it in relation to the prestroke period. It was also evaluated comparing the SS-QOL mean score in relation to disease clinical gravity measured with the NIHSS and the degree of functional incapacity evaluated by Rankin modified scale. Results: The SS-QOL, Portuguese language version has good acceptability. It does not have missing data or increased percentage of ceiling or floor effect. The stability was considered excellent with intraclass correlation coefficient of 0,95 (p < 0.001) and the Cronbach?s alpha value of 0,98 (p < 0,001). The degree of linear correlation of the SS-QOL domains with the chosen measures for each domain was considered reasonable to moderately high with r values varying from 0,42 to 0.91 (p < 0,01). The SS-QOL presented suitable discriminant capacity detecting differences, statistically significant, in the mean score of patients who had referred changes in the quality of life and those that did not refer it in relation to the prestroke period and in the mean score of patients with mild stroke and those with moderate stroke. The variance analysis showed statistically significant differences in the mean score of patients stratified by the functional incapacity degree (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The SS-QOL, adapted to Portuguese language, had psychometric measures considered satisfactory. It is suitable to use as a tool of quality of life evaluation in patients with stroke in the daily clinical practice or clinical studies.