@article{ref1,
title="Reliability, validity and minimal detectable change of 2-minute walk test, 6-minute walk test and 10-meter walk test in frail older adults with dementia",
journal="Experimental gerontology",
year="2019",
author="Chan, Wayne L. S. and Pin, Tamis W.",
volume="115",
number="",
pages="9-18",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Walk tests are commonly used to evaluate walking ability in frail older adults with dementia but their psychometric evidence in this population is lacking. <br><br>OBJECTIVES: 1) To examine test-retest and inter-rater reliability, construct and known-group validity, and minimal detectable change at 95% level of confidence (MDC<sub>95</sub>) of walk tests in frail older adults with dementia, and 2) to examine the feasibility and consistency of a cueing system in facilitating participants in completing walk tests. <br><br>DESIGN: Psychometric study with repeated measures. SETTING: Day care and residential care facilities. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-nine frail older adults with a mean age 87.1 and a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer's disease who were able to walk independently for at least 15 m. <br><br>METHODS: The participants underwent a 2-minute walk test (2MWT), 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and 10-meter walk test (10MeWT) on 3 separate occasions under 2 independent assessors using a cueing system. Functional status was measured using the Elderly Mobility Scale (EMS), Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Modified Barthel Index (MBI). <br><br>RESULTS: Excellent test-retest (ICC = 0.91-0.98) and inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.86-0.96) were shown in the 2MWT, 6MWT and 10MeWT. The walk tests were strongly correlated with each other (ρ = 0.85-0.94). The correlations between the walk tests and the functional measures were moderate in general (ρ = 0.34-0.55). All the walk tests were able to distinguish between those who could walk outdoor and indoor only (p ≤ .036). The MDC<sub>95</sub> were 9.1 m in the 2MWT, 28.1 m in the 6MWT, and.16 m/s in the 10MeWT. The cues provided by the assessors in the walk tests were generally consistent (ICC = 0.62-0.89). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The 2MWT, 6MWT and 10MeWT are reliable and valid measures in evaluating walking ability in frail older adults with dementia. The MDC<sub>95</sub> of the walk tests has been established. The cueing system is feasible and reliable to facilitate the administration of the walk tests in this population group.<br><br>Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0531-5565",
doi="10.1016/j.exger.2018.11.001",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2018.11.001"
}