Concurrent Validity and Reliability of In-Person and Supervised Remote STEADI Fall Risk Assessment in...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Science
• Digital Health

Background:

• Physical therapists are crucial in preventing falls among older adults.
• Community fall prevention programs require validated telehealth assessments due to digital health advancements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity and reliability of telehealth-administered Timed Up and Go (TUG), 30-second Chair Stand Test (30s-CST), and Four-Stage (4-stage) Balance Test.
• To assess these functional tests as components of the Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries (STEADI) fall risk assessment.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving community-dwelling older adults.
• Concurrent in-person and synchronous telehealth ratings of TUG, 30s-CST, and 4-stage balance test.
• Asynchronous telehealth ratings for inter- and intra-rater reliability using video recordings.
• Statistical analysis using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Pearson correlation coefficient.

Main Results:

• Excellent ICCs (0.97-0.99) and strong correlations (r=0.94-0.98) between in-person and synchronous telehealth ratings.
• Good to excellent inter-rater (ICC=0.84-1.00) and intra-rater (0.77-1.00) reliability for all tests.
• 13 out of 30 participants classified with moderate fall risk based on STEADI algorithm.

Conclusions:

• Telehealth-administered functional tests within the STEADI assessment are valid and reliable.
• Optimal management of technology, environment, and camera setup is essential for accurate telehealth assessments.
• These findings support the integration of telehealth into community-based fall prevention strategies.