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Validation of an automated up‐timer for measurement of mobility in older adults
Author(s) -
Tran PhiVan,
Schwarz Jenny,
Gorman Michael,
Helme Robert D
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1997.tb126656.x
Subject(s) - timer , reliability (semiconductor) , activities of daily living , test (biology) , physical therapy , correlation , rating scale , psychology , concurrent validity , physical medicine and rehabilitation , medicine , gerontology , computer science , psychometrics , developmental psychology , mathematics , telecommunications , paleontology , power (physics) , physics , geometry , quantum mechanics , internal consistency , wireless , biology
Objective To test the reliability, validity and utility of an “up‐timer”, an automated device to measure time spent standing and walking. Design Repeat measurement of mobility one week apart in a convenience sample. Setting Hostel and nursing homes in Melbourne. Participants 26 hostel and 24 nursing home residents (aged 70‐99 years) participated. They were mobile, with or without the use of walking aids or personal assistance. Outcome measures “Up‐time” (measured with the up‐timer); functional activity (measured with the Barthel Index, Functional Independence Measure, Timed Up & Go, and Human Activity Profile); and disability (measured by the Rapid Disability Rating Scale). Results The test‐retest reliability of the up‐tlmer was high (Pearson's r=0.84; P <0.001). Pearson's correlation between the up‐timer results and results of functional and disability measures ranged from r=0.47 to r=0.55. The functional measures correlated more highly among themselves (r=0.79 to r=0.92). The performance‐based Timed Up & Go test had moderate levels of correlation with both the up‐timer and the functional measures. Use of the device was well accepted by both participants and staff. Conclusions The up‐timer is a practical, objective and reliable means of measuring mobility. The useful information it provides is different from, but overlaps with, that obtained from subjective observation or self report. It will complement existing subjective and performance‐based measures of activity and mobility.