6-Minute Walk Test (m, 6MWT) |
Participants were instructed to walk as far as possible around a rectangular path for 6 minutes. The 6MWT is a valid and reliable test of walking endurance in persons with stroke [35, 36]. Evidence suggests that the 6MWT is a strong predictor of walking activity in individuals with stroke [3, 20, 26]. |
Self-selected walking speed (m/s, SSWS) |
Participants traverse a 10-meter pathway in which the middle 6 meters are timed. Participants are instructed to walk at a leisurely pace as if they were going to get a drink from the refrigerator. The 10-Meter Walk Test is a valid and reliable test of gait speed in stroke [36]. |
Fastest walking speed (m/s, FWS) |
Similar to the above, except participants are instructed to walk at the fastest speed they safely can without running [36]. |
Speed modulation (m/s) |
Speed modulation measures the ability to change walking speeds and was calculated as FWS–SSWS. |
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) |
The MoCA was collected as a global measure of cognitive impairment and assesses various domains, such as executive functioning and attention. The MoCA has acceptable sensitivity and specificity in detecting cognitive impairment in people with stroke [37]. |
Charlson Comorbidity Index (age adjusted, CCI) |
The CCI is a comorbidity index that inquires about other health conditions, such as myocardial infarction, diabetes, and congestive heart failure. The CCI has been shown to predict functional outcomes in individuals with stroke [38]. |
Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) |
The PHQ-9 is a screening tool for depressive symptoms. It is a 9-item self-administered questionnaire that asks participants to reflect on how often they have been bothered by specific problems over the past two weeks. The PHQ-9 is a valid and reliable measure of depressive symptoms in stroke [39]. |
Activities Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) |
The ABC is a 16-tem questionnaire that measures balance self-efficacy. Participants rate how confident they are performing various tasks on a scale of 0 (“no confidence”) to 100 (“complete confidence”). Ratings for each item are averaged to produce an overall score. The ABC is a valid and reliable measure in persons with stroke [40] and has been shown to be related to daily stepping activity in stroke [28, 29]. |
Body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) |
Body mass index was calculated as the participant’s weight in kilograms (kg) divided by height in meters (m) squared. |
Age (years) |
Participant’s age was a continuous variable quantified in years. |
Time since initial stroke (months) |
This variable was calculated as the time between initial stroke onset and the date of the baseline evaluation of the clinical trial. Participants were required to be at least 6 months post stroke to be eligible. |
Number of strokes |
This was quantified as the number of strokes the participant suffered and was confirmed by imaging. |
Number of medications (including supplements) |
This variable was quantified as the number of medications the participant reported taking, including supplements. |
Area Deprivation Index (state decile) |
The ADI is a composite index of neighborhood disadvantage that includes various indicators of education, housing quality and crowding, poverty, and employment. The ADI provides a state decile ranking from 1 to 10 for each individual state, where 1 indicates the least disadvantaged and 10 the most disadvantaged [41, 42]. |
Area Deprivation Index (national percentile) |
The ADI also provides a national percentile ranking from 1–100, with 1 representing the lowest level of disadvantage and 100 representing the highest level of disadvantage [41, 42]. Our previous work identified a significant relationship between the ADI and steps/day in people with chronic stroke [31]. |
Usual orthotic device |
Usual orthotic device was a categorical variable coded as 0 = no orthotic device, 1 = orthotic device. |
Usual assistive device |
Usual assistive device was a categorical variable coded as 0 = no assistive device, 1 = assistive device. |
Living situation |
Living situation was a categorical variable coded as 0 = living alone, 1 = living with a family member/significant other, 2 = living alone but has outside assistance daily, 3 = other. |
Marital status |
Marital status was a categorical variable coded as 0 = married, 1 = not married. |
Work status |
Work status was a categorical variable coded as 0 = employed full-time, 1 = employed part-time, 2 = retired, 3 = unemployed (includes being on disability). |
Years of education |
Years of education was a categorical variable coded as 0 = high school (≤15 years), 1 = college graduate (16 years), 2 = above graduate (>16 years). |
Gender |
Gender was coded as 0 = male and 1 = female. |
Side of hemiparesis |
Side of hemiparesis was categorized as 0 = left, 1 = right, 2 = bilateral. |
Readiness to change activity behavior |
Readiness to change activity behavior was measured on an ordinal scale based on the Transtheoretical Model of Change [43, 44]. Participants endorsed a response that best reflected their current stage of change. This variable was categorized as 1 = currently not active and do not intend on becoming active in the next 6 months, 2 = currently not active but thinking about starting to become active in the next 6 months, 3 = currently active sometimes but not regularly, 4 = currently active regularly but have only begun doing so within the last 6 months, 5 = currently active regularly and have done so for longer than 6 months. |
Relapse in activity behavior |
Relapse in activity behavior was measured via self-report and categorized as 1 = experienced a relapse in activity levels, 2 = no relapse in activity levels [43, 44]. |