Reliability and Fall-Risk Predictability of the Short Form of the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale in Iranian Older Adults

Author(s):  
Ehsan Sinaei ◽  
Debra J. Rose ◽  
Samira Javadpour ◽  
Amin Kordi Yoosefinejad

Recently, a short form of the Fullerton Advanced Balance (SF-FAB) scale was reported as a good predictor of falls in older adults. However, we found no evidence regarding its reliability in non-American older adults. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the reliability and homogeneity of the SF-FAB scale to measure postural balance in Iranian older adults. Eighty-five community-dwelling older adults (70.75 ± 4.97 years) performed the SF-FAB test on two occasions 1 week apart. In both instances, four raters assessed the performance on the test. The SF-FAB scale (mean total score: 12.46 ± 3.53) revealed acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .77), excellent intrarater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = .94–.99), and excellent interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = .92–.99). The overall prediction success rate was 83.5% with correctly classifying 95.6% of nonfallers and 35.3% of fallers. The SF-FAB scale can provide a quick screen of balance status in older adults to trigger referral to clinicians for a more comprehensive assessment.

2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 318-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alaina M. Newell ◽  
Jessie M. VanSwearingen ◽  
Elizabeth Hile ◽  
Jennifer S. Brach

BackgroundPerceived ability or confidence plays an important role in determining function and behavior. The modified Gait Efficacy Scale (mGES) is a 10-item self-report measure used to assess walking confidence under challenging everyday circumstances.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to determine the reliability, internal consistency, and validity of the mGES as a measure of gait in older adults.DesignThis was a cross-sectional study.MethodsParticipants were 102 community-dwelling older adults (mean [±SD] age=78.6±6.1 years) who were independent in ambulation with or without an assistive device. Participants were assessed using the mGES and measures of confidence and fear, measures of function and disability, and performance-based measures of mobility. In a subsample (n=26), the mGES was administered twice within a 1-month period to establish test-retest reliability through the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC [2,1]). The standard error of measure (SEM) was determined from the ICC and standard deviation. The Cronbach α value was calculated to determine internal consistency. To establish the validity of the mGES, the Spearman rank order correlation coefficient was used to examine the association with measures of confidence, fear, gait, and physical function and disability.ResultsThe mGES demonstrated test-retest reliability within the 1-month period (ICC=.93, 95% confidence interval=.85, .97). The SEM of the mGES was 5.23. The mGES was internally consistent across the 10 items (Cronbach α=.94). The mGES was related to measures of confidence and fear (r=.54–.88), function and disability (Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument, r=.32–.88), and performance-based mobility (r=.38–.64).LimitationsThis study examined only community-dwelling older adults. The results, therefore, should not be generalized to other patient populations.ConclusionThe mGES is a reliable and valid measure of confidence in walking among community-dwelling older adults.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (18) ◽  
pp. 6068
Author(s):  
Antti Löppönen ◽  
Laura Karavirta ◽  
Erja Portegijs ◽  
Kaisa Koivunen ◽  
Taina Rantanen ◽  
...  

(1) Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the day-to-day variability and year-to-year reproducibility of an accelerometer-based algorithm for sit-to-stand (STS) transitions in a free-living environment among community-dwelling older adults. (2) Methods: Free-living thigh-worn accelerometry was recorded for three to seven days in 86 (women n = 55) community-dwelling older adults, on two occasions separated by one year, to evaluate the long-term consistency of free-living behavior. (3) Results: Year-to-year intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for the number of STS transitions were 0.79 (95% confidence interval, 0.70–0.86, p < 0.001), for mean angular velocity—0.81 (95% ci, 0.72–0.87, p < 0.001), and maximal angular velocity—0.73 (95% ci, 0.61–0.82, p < 0.001), respectively. Day-to-day ICCs were 0.63–0.72 for number of STS transitions (95% ci, 0.49–0.81, p < 0.001) and for mean angular velocity—0.75–0.80 (95% ci, 0.64–0.87, p < 0.001). Minimum detectable change (MDC) was 20.1 transitions/day for volume, 9.7°/s for mean intensity, and 31.7°/s for maximal intensity. (4) Conclusions: The volume and intensity of STS transitions monitored by a thigh-worn accelerometer and a sit-to-stand transitions algorithm are reproducible from day to day and year to year. The accelerometer can be used to reliably study STS transitions in free-living environments, which could add value to identifying individuals at increased risk for functional disability.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Jiali Lou ◽  
Yongliang Jiang ◽  
Hantong Hu ◽  
Xiaoyu Li ◽  
Yajun Zhang ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to determine the intrarater and interrater reliabilities of infrared image analysis of forearm acupoints before and after moxibustion. In this work, infrared images of acupoints in the forearm of 20 volunteers (M/F, 10/10) were collected prior to and after moxibustion by infrared thermography (IRT). Two trained raters performed the analysis of infrared images in two different periods at a one-week interval. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to determine the intrarater and interrater reliabilities. With regard to the intrarater reliability, ICC values were between 0.758 and 0.994 (substantial to excellent). For the interrater reliability, ICC values ranged from 0.707 to 0.964 (moderate to excellent). Given that the intrarater and interrater reliability levels show excellent concordance, IRT could be a reliable tool to monitor the temperature change of forearm acupoints induced by moxibustion.


2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 438-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim T.J. Bongers ◽  
Yvonne Schoon ◽  
Maartje J. Graauwmans ◽  
Marlies E. Hoogsteen-Ossewaarde ◽  
Marcel G.M. Olde Rikkert

Self-management of mobility and fall risk might be possible if older adults could use a simple and safe self-test to measure their own mobility, balance, and fall risk at home. The aim of this study was to determine the safety, feasibility, and intraindividual reliability of the maximal step length (MSL), gait speed (GS), and chair test (CT) as potential self-tests for assessing mobility and fall risk. Fifty-six community-dwelling older adults performed MSL, GS, and CT at home once a week during a four-week period, wherein the feasibility, test-retest reliability, coefficients of variation, and linear mixed models with random effects of these three self-tests were determined. Forty-nine subjects (mean age 76.1 years [SD: 4.0], 19 females [42%]) completed the study without adverse effects. Compared with the other self-tests, MSL gave the most often (77.6%) valid measurement results and had the best intraclass correlation coefficients (0.95 [95% confidence interval: 0.91−0.97]). MSL and GS gave no significant training effect, whereas CT did show a significant training effect (p < .01). Community-dwelling older adults can perform MSL safely, correctly, and reliably, and GS safely and reliably. Further research is needed to study the responsiveness and beneficial effects of these self-tests on self-management of mobility and fall risk.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
GOH JING WEN ◽  
Devinder Kaur Ajit Singh ◽  
NORMALA MESBAH ◽  
ANIS AFIFA MOHD HANAFI ◽  
ADLYN FARHANA AZWAN

Abstract Falls are one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity in older adults. However, despite adoption of prevention strategies, the number of falls in older adults has not declined. The aim of this study was to examine fall awareness behaviour and its associated factors. A total of 140 community dwelling older adults (mean age of 70.69±4.3 years) participated in this study. Physical performance was assessed using timed up and go(TUG), gait speed(GS), chair stand and hand grip tests. Fall Awareness Behaviour (FaB) and Fall Risk Assessment Questionnaires (FRAQ) were administered to assess behaviours and fall prevention knowledge respectively. Stepwise linear regression analysis showed that the practice of fall awareness behaviours (R2=.256) was significantly associated with being male [95% C.I: 2.178 to 7.789, p<.001], having lower BMI [95% C.I: -0.692 to -0.135, p<.05], living with family [95% C.I: 0.022 to 5.953, p<.05] and those having higher functional mobility [95% C.I: -2.008 to -0.164, p<.05]. Fall awareness behaviours should be emphasized among older females, those with lower functional mobility, higher BMI and living alone.


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshifumi Nogawa ◽  
Yoshiyuki Takayama ◽  
Takumi Kato ◽  
Yutaka Yamazaki ◽  
Shingo Moriya ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 789-789
Author(s):  
Mariana Wingood ◽  
Salene Jones ◽  
Nancy Gell ◽  
Denise Peters ◽  
Jennifer Brach

Abstract Addressing physical activity (PA) barriers is an essential component of increasing PA among the 56-73% of community-dwelling adults 50 years and older who are not performing the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA. As there is no feasible, multi-factorial tool to assess PA barriers among this population, we developed and validated a PA barrier assessment tool called the Inventory of Physical Activity Barriers (IPAB). We collected cross-sectional data on 503 adults (mean age 70.1), with 79 participants completing the scale twice for test-retest reliability and 64 completing a cross-over design examining the ability to use two administration formats interchangeably. Our analyses consisted of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach alpha, intraclass correlation coefficient, Bland-Altman Plot, and t-tests. Using factor analysis, we identified and confirmed an eight-factor solution consisting of 27 items. The 27-item IPAB is internally consistent (alpha= 0.91), has a high test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.99), and can differentiate between individuals who meet the recommended levels of PA and those who do not (p &lt; 0.001). The IPAB scores ranged between 1.00-3.11 for the paper format (mean=1.78) and 1.07-3.48 for the electronic format (mean=1.78), with no statistical difference between the paper and electronic administration formats (p=0.94), resulting in the conclusion that the two administration formats can be used interchangeably. Participant feedback illustrates that the IPAB is easy to use, has clear instruction, and is an appropriate length. The newly validated IPAB scale can be used to develop individualized PA interventions that address PA barriers among patients 50 years and older.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 793-799 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roel Boumans ◽  
Fokke van Meulen ◽  
Koen Hindriks ◽  
Mark Neerincx ◽  
Marcel G M Olde Rikkert

Background /ObjectivesHealthcare professionals (HCP) are confronted with an increased demand for assessments of important health status measures, such as patient-reported outcome measurements (PROM), and the time this requires. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and acceptability of using an HCP robot assistant, and to test the hypothesis that a robot can autonomously acquire PROM data from older adults.DesignA pilot randomised controlled cross-over study where a social robot and a nurse administered three PROM questionnaires with a total of 52 questions.SettingA clinical outpatient setting with community-dwelling older adults.ParticipantsForty-two community-dwelling older adults (mean age: 77.1 years, SD: 5.7 years, 45% female).MeasurementsThe primary outcome was the task time required for robot–patient and nurse–patient interactions. Secondary outcomes were the similarity of the data and the percentage of robot interactions completed autonomously. The questionnaires resulted in two values (robot and nurse) for three indexes of frailty, well-being and resilience. The data similarity was determined by comparing these index values using Bland-Altman plots, Cohen’s kappa (κ) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Acceptability was assessed using questionnaires.ResultsThe mean robot interview duration was 16.57 min (SD=1.53 min), which was not significantly longer than the nurse interviews (14.92 min, SD=8.47 min; p=0.19). The three Bland-Altman plots showed moderate to substantial agreement between the frailty, well-being and resilience scores (κ=0.61, 0.50 and 0.45, and ICC=0.79, 0.86 and 0.66, respectively). The robot autonomously completed 39 of 42 interviews (92.8%).ConclusionSocial robots may effectively and acceptably assist HCPs by interviewing older adults.


Author(s):  
Junta Takahashi ◽  
Hisashi Kawai ◽  
Hiroyuki Suzuki ◽  
Yoshinori Fujiwara ◽  
Yutaka Watanabe ◽  
...  

Recent research has suggested that the breadth and evenness of activity and activity diversity contribute to health outcomes among older adults. However, few established assessment tools for activity diversity have been developed. This study developed an Activity Diversity Questionnaire (ADQ) for older adults through expert consultation and a preliminary survey among 18 community-dwelling older adults. The diversity score was calculated according to Shannon’s entropy. In study 1, the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) of the diversity scores were determined for community-dwelling older adults (n = 30). In study 2, concurrent validity was tested with participants receiving comprehensive health checkups at the Itabashi ward in Japan in 2018 (n = 766). The correlation coefficients of the diversity scores were then calculated in reference to the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence and Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence. The final version of the ADQ consisted of 20 total items with excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.84) and moderate correlations with both the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence and Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence (r = 0.48 and 0.60, respectively). The ADQ was developed through scientific procedures and revealed sufficient reliability and validity. As such, it is a scientifically validated tool for assessing activity diversity among older adults.


Author(s):  
Audai A. Hayajneh ◽  
Hanan Hammouri ◽  
Mohammad Rababa ◽  
Sami Al-Rawashedeh ◽  
Debra C. Wallace ◽  
...  

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Frailty syndrome is characterized by a decline in physiological and psychological reserve and may be associated with poor health outcomes. <b><i>Objectives:</i></b> The current study explored frailty and its correlates among cognitively intact community-dwelling older adults. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A secondary analysis of data collected from 109 community-dwelling older adults who are cognitively intact was conducted for the purpose of this study. The Arabic versions of the culturally adapted Tilburg Frailty Indicator, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the Geriatric Depression Scale, and the Short Form-36 Quality of Life (QOL) survey. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the relationships between frailty and depression. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The results indicated a high prevalence of frailty (78%) and depression (38%) among cognitively intact community-dwelling older adults. Frailty was found to be associated with increased age, being single or illiterate, living alone, having a high number of comorbid conditions, having high rate of depression, and having poor QOL. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> High prevalence of frailty is associated with high depression scores, a high number of comorbid conditions, and poor QOL among cognitively intact community-dwelling older adults.


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