Abstract
Objective: To investigate the predictive validity of simple gait-related dual-task (DT) tests in predicting falls in community-dwelling older adults. Design: A validation cohort study with 6 months' follow-up. Setting: General community. Participants: Independently ambulant community-dwelling adults (N=66) aged ≥65 years, with normal cognitive function. Sixty-two completed the follow-up. No participants required frames for walking. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Occurrence of falls in the follow-up period and performance on primary and secondary tasks of 8 DT tests and 1 triple-task (TT) test. Results: A random forest classification analysis identified the top 5 predictors of a fall as (1) absolute difference in time between the Timed Up & Go (TUG) as a single task (ST) and while carrying a cup; (2) time required to complete the walking task in the TT test; (3 and 4) walking and avoiding a moving obstacle as an ST and while carrying a cup; and (5) performing the TUG while carrying a cup. Separate bivariate logistic regression analyses showed that performance on these tasks was significantly associated with falling (P<.01). Despite the random forest analysis being a more robust approach than multivariate logistic regression, it was not clinically useful for predicting falls. Conclusions: This study identified the most important outcome measures in predicting falls using simple DT tests. The results showed that measures of change in performance were not useful in a multivariate model when compared with an "allocated all to falls" rule.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 58-64 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation |
Volume | 95 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 23 Sept 2013 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2014 |
Keywords
- accidental falls
- aged
- cognition
- gait
- rehabilitation