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Self-reported walking ability predicts functional mobility performance in frail older adults
N B Alexander1, K E Guire, D G Thelen
1Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|November 18, 2000
Summary
Self-reported walking ability, particularly items from the Rosow-Breslau and Katz questionnaires, strongly predicts functional mobility in older adults. These walking-related self-assessments are better indicators of performance in walking, stance, and chair rise tasks than other self-report measures.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Rehabilitation Science
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Functional mobility is crucial for independence in older adults.
- Assessing mobility limitations accurately is essential for targeted interventions.
- Self-reported function is commonly used but its correlation with objective performance varies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between self-reported physical function and objective performance in key mobility domains.
- To identify which self-report measures best predict performance in walking, stance maintenance, and chair rise tasks.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of 221 older adults (mean age 79.9 years).
- Comparison of self-reported data from the Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (EPESE) battery with objective mobility task performance.
- Mobility tasks assessed included walking, stance maintenance, and chair rise, with performance measured by ability and time.
Main Results:
- Rosow-Breslau items showed the strongest association with performance in walking, stance, and chair rise domains (eta-squared 0.21-0.44).
- Self-reported walking ability (Katz item) was as strongly related to performance as all other Katz Activities of Daily Living (ADL) items combined (eta-squared 0.15-0.33).
- Cognitive factors like problem-solving and psychomotor speed correlated with residuals from self-report and performance models.
Conclusions:
- Self-report items focusing on walking ability are superior predictors of functional mobility performance compared to other self-report measures.
- Self-reported walking ability emerges as the most robust predictor of overall functional mobility in older adults.
- Objective performance measures in walking, stance, and chair rise are strongly linked to specific self-reported walking capabilities.
