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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Assessment of Dependence in Activities of Daily Living Among Older Patients in an Acute Care Unit

Assessment of Dependence in Activities of Daily Living Among Older Patients in an Acute Care Unit

Published on: September 30, 2020

Correlation between symptoms and function in older adults with comorbidity.

Heather E Whitson¹, Linda L Sanders, Carl F Pieper

¹Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. heather.whitson@duke.edu

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

|April 28, 2009

Summary

In older adults, symptom scores strongly predict mobility function, often more so than disease scores. Targeting symptoms like weakness, pain, and shortness of breath can improve functional status.

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Area of Science:

Gerontology
Rehabilitation Medicine
Clinical Epidemiology

Background:

Functional status in older adults is crucial for independence and quality of life.
Mobility function is a key component of overall functional status.
Understanding factors influencing mobility is essential for effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

To examine the relationship between symptom scores and mobility function measures in older adults.
To compare the association of symptom scores versus disease scores with mobility function.
To identify specific symptoms most impactful on functional status.

Main Methods:

Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from three distinct cohorts (fitness, vertebral fractures, Parkinson's disease).
Utilized self-reported symptom and disease scales, alongside validated functional measures (SF-36 Physical Functioning, Nagi Disability, walk time, sit-to-stand time).

Main Results:

Symptom scores demonstrated a strong correlation with mobility function, comparable to or exceeding disease scores.
Symptom scores independently predicted functional outcomes, even after adjusting for disease burden and demographics.
Muscle weakness, pain, and shortness of breath emerged as significant predictors of reduced physical functioning.

Conclusions:

Patient-reported symptoms are valuable indicators of disability in older adults.
Symptom management presents a promising therapeutic target for enhancing functional capacity in complex geriatric populations.