Assessing the Validity of Self-Rated Health with the Short Physical Performance Battery: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the International Mobility in Aging Study.

Mario U Pérez-Zepeda,Alban Ylli,Emmanuelle Belanger,Jack Guralnik,Susan Phillips,Maria–Victoria Zunzunegui,Joseph Devaney

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0153855

Abstract

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore the validity of self-rated health across different populations of older adults, when compared to the Short Physical Performance Battery.DesignCross-sectional analysis of the International Mobility in Aging Study.SettingFive locations: Saint-Hyacinthe and Kingston (Canada), Tirana (Albania), Manizales (Colombia), and Natal (Brazil).ParticipantsOlder adults between 65 and 74 years old (n = 1,995).MethodsThe Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) was used to measure physical performance. Self-rated health was assessed with one single five-point question. Linear trends between SPPB scores and self-rated health were tested separately for men and women at each of the five international study sites. Poor physical performance (independent variable) (SPPB less than 8) was used in logistic regression models of self-rated health (dependent variable), adjusting for potential covariates. All analyses were stratified by gender and site of origin.ResultsA significant linear association was found between the mean scores of the Short Physical Performance Battery and ordinal categories of self-rated health across research sites and gender groups. After extensive control for objective physical and mental health indicators and socio-demographic variables, these graded associations became non-significant in some research sites.ConclusionThese findings further confirm the validity of SRH as a measure of overall health status in older adults.

Highlights

Physicians usually initiate consultations with open-ended questions such as, “How are you?” or, “How are you feeling?” These questions address patients’ perception of their overall health status, a concept known as self-rated health (SRH)
A significant linear association was found between the mean scores of the Short Physical Performance Battery and ordinal categories of self-rated health across research sites and gender groups
After extensive control for objective physical and mental health indicators and socio-demographic variables, these graded associations became non-significant in some research sites. These findings further confirm the validity of SRH as a measure of overall health status in older adults

Summary

Participants

Older adults between 65 and 74 years old (n = 1,995). Data Availability Statement: Access to data set is restricted to researchers interested in analysing topics on mobility and aging. Dr María Victoria Zunzunegui is the principal investigator of the IMIAS group and in order to obtain access to the data, the interested reader should contact her at: http://imias. IMIAS data is not posted on the IMIAS web site due to restrictions imposed by Queens University Ethics committee (see attached Ethics Review Board) but data to replicate the analyses presented in this paper will be freely

Methods

Results

Introduction

Materials and Methods

Ethical considerations

Discussion