Concurrent validity of the Suitcase Packing Activity in the assessment of upper extremity function after burn injury

Introduction Recovery of optimal hand and upper extremity (UE) function is an important component of burn recovery. A valid occupation-based performance measure in the burn population does not exist. The Suitcase Packing Activity (SPA) is an occupation-based standardized assessment tool used to measure composite hand and UE function. The purpose of this study was to establish the concurrent validity of the SPA in persons with hand burns. Methods A prospective observational design was used to determine the concurrent validity of the SPA in patients who sustained a hand burn injury. Inclusion criteria included deep-partial thickness or full thickness burns to one or both hands, a passing score on a cognitive screen, and English fluency. Individuals with unstable orthopedic hand/UE injuries or an amputation of the thumb proximal to the interphalangeal joint were excluded. Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient (r ) was used to assess the relationship between the SPA and the Disability of the Shoulder, Arm, and Hand (DASH) test; grip strength; and the Jebsen Hand Function Test (JHFT) total and subscale scores. Results Thirty patients with a mean age of 40.5 (SD 14.7) years, 66.7 % male, and a mean of 40.5 % (SD 14.7) TBSA were included. The mean SPA Completion Time was 560.7 s (SD 183.2, range 330–1096 s) and mean SPA Efficiency Score was 542.4 s (SD 183.5, range 311–1080 s). The strongest significant correlations between the SPA Completion Time and Efficiency Scores were with the JHFT checkers subtest (r  = 0.723, p < 0.001; r  = 0.723, p < .001 respectively). There were also significant negative correlations between the SPA Completion Time and Efficiency Scores and grip strength (r  = -0.401, p < 0.001; r  = – 0.401, p < 0.001 respectively). There were no significant correlations between the SPA and the DASH. Conclusion This study demonstrates the validity of the SPA for use in individuals who have sustained hand burn injury, offering a tool to assess hand and UE function after burn injury in an occupation-based manner.