Assessing reliability and validity of physical performance test for the japanese elderly

Abstract

Physical Performance Test (PPT) is a performance-based measurement that correlates well with degree of disability, loss of independence, and early mortality. However, it has not been introduced in Japan. The purpose of the present study was to assess the reliability and validity of PPT for the Japanese elderly people. Thirty-nine Japanese elderly community-dwellers with a mean age of 82.5 participated in this study. We revised some parts of the original version of the PPT (JPPT). Barthel Index (BI), Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology of Index of Competence (TMIG-index of competence), Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) and Japanese-version PPT (JPPT) were simultaneously conducted. Test-retest and inter-rater reliability was assessed for JPPT. Intraclass correlation coefficient for interrater reliability of JPPT was greater than 0.95. Intraclass correlation coefficients for test-retest reliability were 0.85 and above. JPPT was significantly correlated with TMIG-index of competence (r=0.667, p<0.01) and BI (r=0.581, p<0.01) but was less significantly correlated with MMSE (r=0.319, p<0.05). JPPT has a good to high degree of reliability and validity, reflects physical, mental and social functional domain, and appears acceptable and meaningful to examiners and Japanese elderly people.