Validity of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form Among Individuals With Visual Impairments

Area of Science:

• Kinesiology
• Public Health
• Ophthalmology

Background:

• Accurate assessment of physical activity is crucial for public health, especially in populations with visual impairments (VI).
• The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) is a common self-report tool, but its validity in individuals with VI is not well-established.
• Understanding the nuances of IPAQ-SF validity across different levels of vision loss (no usable vision [NUV] vs. some usable vision [SUV]) is important.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the concurrent validity of the IPAQ-SF against accelerometer data in adults with visual impairments.
• To compare the IPAQ-SF's validity between individuals with NUV and SUV.
• To assess validity using different accelerometer cut-points (Freedson and Troiano).

Main Methods:

• Eighty adults with VI (mean age 47.7 years, 62.5% female) participated.
• Participants wore accelerometers for seven days and completed the IPAQ-SF.
• Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U tests, Friedman tests, and chi-square tests, with participants grouped by NUV or SUV.

Main Results:

• Moderate agreement was found between IPAQ-SF and accelerometer data for moderate and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (ρ = 0.49-0.50).
• Agreement was slightly stronger in the NUV group compared to the SUV group.
• Agreement for sedentary behavior was negligible, and self-reported MVPA showed weak agreement with accelerometer data in both VI subgroups.

Conclusions:

• The IPAQ-SF demonstrates moderate concurrent validity for assessing physical activity in individuals with visual impairments, though with high error rates.
• Validity may differ slightly between those with no usable vision and those with some usable vision.
• Researchers should exercise caution when utilizing the IPAQ-SF to measure physical activity levels in the visually impaired population.