Test-retest Reliability and Sensitivity to Change of a New Fall Risk Assessment System: A Pilot Study

• Published in: Annals of Geriatric Medicine and Research Vol. 22; no. 2; pp. 80 - 87
• Main Authors: Kim, Miji, Kim, Sunyoung, Won, Chang Won
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Geriatric Society 01.06.2018; Korea Geriatrics Society; 대한노인병학회
• Subjects: Balance examination; Fall risk; Older adults; Original; Reliability; Sensitivity to change; 가정의학; Sensitivity to change; Fall risk; Reliability; Older adults; Balance examination
• ISSN: 2508-4798; 2508-4909; 2508-4909
• DOI: 10.4235/agmr.2018.22.2.80

The new fall risk assessment (FRA) system is a composite and comprehensive assessment tool developed to predict the risk of falls. The aim of this pilot study was to examine the new FRA system's test-retest reliability and sensitivity to change in community-dwelling older adults. This was an observational study with a test-retest design and an 8-week fall prevention exercise program. A sample of 28 community-dwelling older adults with a mean age of 73.0 years (range, 65-80 years) participated in the study. The new FRA system was administered twice within a 7-day period for test-retest reliability expressed as intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM) assessment. Eighteen subjects of them completed the 8-week fall prevention exercise intervention to evaluate the new FRA system's sensitivity to change. In the evaluation of interrater reliability for the new FRA system, the ICC (95% confidence interval) of the total score was 0.77 (0.47-0.98), with good reliability. The SEM was 11.61 for the total FRA score. A good to excellent reliability was observed, with ICC levels of 0.73 to 0.91 for the 4 composite scores of the new FRA system. Following the 8-week exercise intervention, the mean total FRA score (effect size, 0.58) significantly increased (p=0.028). The new FRA system has generally moderate to excellent interrater reliability and reliable sensitivity to change in community-dwelling older adults. Our findings provide support for the reliability of the new FRA system in healthy older adults without a fall history.