Development and Validation of the Balance Outcome Measure for Elder Rehabilitation
Abstract
Haines T, Kuys SS, Morrison G, Clarke J, Bew P, McPhail S. Development and validation of the Balance Outcome Measure for Elder Rehabilitation.
Objective
To develop and investigate the internal consistency, criterion-related validation, and minimum clinically significant difference of a new standing balance outcome measure for Elder Rehabilitation.
Design
Three phases: (1) cross-sectional survey with expert panel, (2) multicenter prospective cohort randomly divided into development and validation datasets, and (3) prospective cohort (single site).
Setting
Geriatric and rehabilitation units across 2 states in Australia.
Participants
A total of 1769 admissions across 17 geriatric assessment and rehabilitation units.
Interventions
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures
The Balance Outcome Measure for Elder Rehabilitation (BOOMER) consisted of the step test, Timed Up & Go test, Functional Reach Test, and static standing with feet together and eyes closed test. Criterion-related validity was established through comparison to the Modified Elderly Mobility Scale (MEMS) and the FIM motor score.
Results
Items of the BOOMER were already used at a majority of rehabilitation facilities surveyed. The BOOMER showed high levels of internal consistency (Cronbach α>.87) and had good correlation with the FIM motor and the MEMS (ρ>.72). The minimum clinically significant change in the BOOMER was 3 points over a 17-point scale range.
Conclusions
The BOOMER is a clinically applicable measure of standing balance among older rehabilitation patients with evidence of content and construct validity.
aDivision of Physiotherapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
bPhysiotherapy Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
cSchool of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia
dSt Andrews War Memorial Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
eThe Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
Reprint requests to Terry Haines, PhD, Physiotherapy Department, GARU, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Ipswich Rd, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
Supported by the University of Queensland New Staff Research Fund.
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the author(s) or upon any organization with which the author(s) is/are associated.
ABSTRACT