| Background Consensual diagnosis and treatment regime is a foundation for the conduction of proper clinical trials to evaluate the true benefits of CM. However, studies have demonstrated that variations exist in the diagnosis and treatment principles among Chinese medicine practitioners (CMPs). Such discrepancies may result in an under- or over-estimation of the efficacy or effectiveness of an intervention. Hence, a tool for improving the agreement of CM diagnoses is necessary. Cerebrovascular diseases accounted for more than 25,000 in-patient discharges and deaths in hospitals by disease group in 2013. It was the fourth leading cause of death in Hong Kong in 2014. Considering stroke as one of the thematic priorities of HACMD, a CM stroke diagnostic instrument for research is planned.
Objective To develop a CM stroke diagnostic instrument for research and provide evidence for the constructs identified; To investigate the interaction of the constructs with clinical signs & symptoms of stroke and validate the instrument
Conclusion This study demonstrated that CM diagnostic constructs could be used via quantitative research method to evaluate the validity and reliability on CM diagnosis comprised of multiple subscales. |