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Comparison of performance-based and self-rated functional capacity in Spanish elderly
M Ferrer1, R Lamarca, F Orfila
1Health Services Research Unit, Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica, Barcelona, Spain.
American Journal of Epidemiology
|February 2, 1999
Summary
Spanish elderly accurately self-report functional capacity. Moderate agreement exists between self-reports and performance measures, with health ratings influencing reporting accuracy.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Cross-cultural differences in disability reporting exist between Spain and the US among community-dwelling elderly.
- Cultural factors may influence how functional capacity is reported, impacting prevalence data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the agreement between self-reported disability and performance-based measures in community-dwelling elderly in Spain.
- To identify factors associated with under- or overreporting of functional capacity in this population.
Main Methods:
- 626 individuals aged 72+ in Barcelona, Spain, underwent interviews and performance-based mobility tests (walking speed, chair stand).
- Kappa statistics and logistic regression models were used to analyze agreement and reporting factors.
Main Results:
- Moderate agreement (Kappa 0.41-0.55) was observed between self-report and performance measures.
- Poor self-rated health was linked to both underreporting (OR 0.2, 0.4) and overreporting (OR 23.4, 9.9) of disability.
- No significant differences in agreement were found based on sex or informant source.
Conclusions:
- Spanish elderly demonstrate accurate self-reporting of functional capacity.
- Unlike US findings, the direction of disagreement in reporting is not systematic in this Spanish cohort.
- Self-rated health status is a key factor influencing the accuracy of functional capacity reporting.