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L. Alamino Pereira Viveiro1, G. Cristine Gomes Cavenaghi1, J. Maria Ribeiro Bacha1, W. Jacob Filho2, R. Eloah de Lucena Ferretti-Rebustini3, J. Eduardo Pompeu1
1Medical School of University of Sao Paulo, Department of Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Occupational Therapy, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2Medical School of University of Sao Paulo, Department of Geriatrics, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 3Nursing School of University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Background: Once falls can be a worrying situation for elderlies, balance assessment instruments can be important tools to identify individuals at risk of falling. One of these instruments is the Brief-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Brief-BESTest), but there is a lack in the literature in describing the structural factors and psychometric properties of this instrument.
Purpose: To verify the evidence of construct and criterion validity and interrater reliability of the Brief-BESTest in elderlies who live in nursing homes.
Methods: Eighty-eight elderlies who live in two nursing homes in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, participated in this Psychometrics study. Two trained physiotherapists applied the Brief-BESTest and the Berg Balance Scale to all the participants at the same time and independently, and scoring was not discussed. Medical data was collected to characterize the sample. The evidence of construct validity was observed by Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). To test the reliability we used the Cronbach’s alpha (α) and the intraclass correlation coefficient between scores of the Brief-BESTest from the two physical therapists. The evidence of convergent concurrent criterion validity was tested by Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient between the Brief-BESTest and the BBS. A statistical significance level of 0.05 was adopted for all tests.
Results: Factor analysis evidenced a one-dimensional instrument with five items and some adjustments in scoring. The goodness of fit indices were obtained after four re-specifications of analysis, indicating the adequacy of the scale for assessing postural balance in elderlies who live in nursing homes.
Conclusion(s): The Brief-BESTest presents evidence of validity and optimal reliability to assess balance in elderlies who live in nursing homes.
Implications: Knowing the validity of the Brief-BESTest is important for clinical practice and scientific research since the effects of an intervention are directly related to the assessment performed.
Funding, acknowledgements: This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Brazil Finance Code-001
Keywords: Postural Control, Aged, Psychometrics
Topic: Older people
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: University of Sao Paulo
Committee: Clinics Hospital of Medical School of University of Sao Paulo
Ethics number: 3.080.454/2018
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
