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A multidimensional assessment of physical performance for older Japanese people with community-based long-term care needs

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Abstract

Background and aims

A multidimensional assessment representing overall lower- and upper-extremity performance is necessary to identify functional decline among older adults. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a physical performance scale (PPS) using both cross-sectional and observational approaches in older adults with and without community-based long-term care (LTC) needs in Japan.

Methods

A total of 416 community-living adults aged 75 years and over. The 7 items of the PPS include a range of physiological challenges, such as assessment of upper-extremity strength, lower-extremity strength, balance, and walking ability. Concurrent validity [correlating the PPS with self-reported functional status in activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental ADLs, and Physical Function subscale of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36PF)] and discriminative validity were assessed. Sensitivity to changes was evaluated with a 12-week exercise program.

Results

Total PPS score was significantly correlated with self-reported functional status such as ADLs, instrumental ADLs (IADLs), and SF-36PF (r = 0.53–0.62) and demonstrated no floor effect and minimal ceiling effect (8.7 %). The total PPS score showed large areas under the curve (AUC = 0.89; 95 % confidence interval, 0.86–0.92) with regard to discrimination between individuals with and without LTC needs. In observational analysis, total PPS score demonstrated small meaningful change in high-risk individuals requiring care (effect size 0.34).

Conclusions

The PPS may be a useful tool for identifying functional status decline and improvement in older adults requiring community-based LTC.

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Acknowledgments

We are very grateful to the subjects for their enthusiastic participation during measurements. The study was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) # 19200047).

Conflict of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Team for Promoting Independence of the Elderly, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan

    Miji Kim

  2. The Center on Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA

    Miji Kim

  3. Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

    Kiyoji Tanaka

Authors
  1. Miji Kim
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  2. Kiyoji Tanaka
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Correspondence to Miji Kim.

Appendix

Appendix

See Table 6.

Table 6 Test items and scoring categories for the physical performance scale
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Kim, M., Tanaka, K. A multidimensional assessment of physical performance for older Japanese people with community-based long-term care needs. Aging Clin Exp Res 26, 269–278 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-014-0230-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-014-0230-2

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