Inter- and Intra-Observer Reliability of the Iowa Level of Assistance Scale and the Effect of Staff Retraining
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot listed
Trial typeObservational
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorIstituto Ortopedico Rizzoli
About this trial
The aim of this study is to evaluate, in routine clinical practice, the inter- and intra-observer reliability of the Iowa Level of Assistance (ILoA) scale, which is regularly used to assess functional recovery in orthopedic patients. A secondary objective is to investigate the impact of a structured retraining program for healthcare staff on the use of the ILoA scale and to determine whether this intervention influences the reliability indices of the scale.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
None
Disqualifiers
Refusal or inability to provide informed consent (for both physiotherapists and patients).
Trial population
The study will recruit both patients and physiotherapists. Patients will be those who, according to routine clinical practice, are assessed using the Iowa Level of Assistance (ILoA) scale and who provide informed consent to participate in the study and to be video-recorded. Physiotherapists will administer the ILoA scale during clinical assessments and, subsequently, will reassess patient performance by reviewing the video recordings of the participating patients.
Trial design
Design model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Treatments tested in this trial
staff training
Other interventionA structured training session will be provided to all participating physiotherapists to review the content of the ILoA scale and standardize administration procedures. The training will be delivered by IOR-employed physiotherapists with documented experience in orthopedic patient assessment and in the use of the ILoA scale. For each scale item, potential sources of uncertainty and specific clinical scenarios will be discussed.
Treatment groups
No treatment groups listed
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Inter- and Intra-Observer Reliability of the Iowa Level of Assistance (ILoA) Scale
The Iowa Level of Assistance (ILoA) scale assesses five functional activities: moving to a sitting position, static standing, walking, stair negotiation, and gait speed. For each activity, a score is assigned based on the level of assistance provided, ranging from 0 (independent) to 6 (activity not performed), and on the type of assistive device used, ranging from 0 (no device) to 5 (use of a walker). The total ILoA score ranges from 0 (minimal assistance) to 50 (maximal assistance). The primary outcome of this study is the inter- and intra-observer reliability of the ILoA scale. Inter-observer reliability will be defined as the level of agreement between different observers assessing the same patient under identical clinical conditions, while intra-observer reliability will be defined as the level of agreement between repeated assessments performed by the same observer on the same patient.
Time frame
Baseline (pre-training) and within 6 months after completion of staff training.Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov