Reference Values of Physical Performance in Thai Elderly People Who Are Functioning Well and Dwelling in the Community

Background Because the number of elderly people is rapidly increasing, reference values for the physical abilities necessary to independently conduct daily activities are crucial for promoting good health. Although a few studies have reported reference values for functional tests relating to these abilities, all of those values were derived from populations in developed countries, which have baseline demographic and anthropometric characteristics different from those of Thai people. Objective The purpose of this study was to describe reference values for 5 physical performance tests for Thai elderly people who were functioning well and dwelling in the community. Design A cross-sectional design was used in this study. Methods A total of 1,030 Thai elderly people who were functioning well were cross-sectionally assessed for their physical abilities with 5 functional tests: 10-Meter Walk Test, Berg Balance Scale, Timed “Up & Go” Test, Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test, and Six-Minute Walk Test. The data were reported with descriptive statistics according to decade of age and sex. Differences among the age decades and between the sexes were analyzed with a 1-way analysis of variance and an independent-sample t test, respectively. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine baseline characteristics important in functional abilities. Results Most of the values found for the performance-based measures were lower than those previously reported, with a significant trend toward age- and sex-related functional decline. Weight and height were important contributors to level of functional ability. Limitations Only a few elderly individuals older than 90 years of age participated in this study. Therefore, their findings were combined with those of participants aged 80 to 89 years. Conclusions The findings described here may be useful as reference values for 5 physical performance tests for Thai elderly people. Health practitioners can use this information to identify functional impairments early and to promote independence in Thai and other elderly populations with similar anthropometric characteristics, such as those in the Association of South East Asian Nations.