Abstract
BackgroundTo investigate item-level measurement properties of the Modified Falls Efficacy (MFES) Scale among English- and Spanish-speaking urban-dwelling older adults as a means to evaluate language equivalence of the tool.MethodsSecondary analysis of survey data from 170 English (n = 83) and Spanish (n = 87) speaking older adults who reported to the emergency department of a quaternary medical center in New York City between February 2010 and August 2011. The Rasch rating scale model was used to investigate item statistics and ordering of items, item and person reliability, and model performance of the Modified Falls Efficacy Scale.ResultsThe Modified Falls Efficacy Scale, for English- and Spanish-speakers, demonstrated acceptable fit to the Rasch model of a unidimensional measure. While the range of the construct is more limited for the Spanish group, the interval between tasks are much closer, reflecting little to no construct under-representation.ConclusionThere is rationale for continued testing of a unidemsional English- and Spanish-MFES among urban community-dwelling older adults. Large-scale international studies linking the unidemsional MFES to patient outcomes will support the validity of this tool for research and practice.
Highlights
To investigate item-level measurement properties of the Modified Falls Efficacy (MFES) Scale among English- and Spanish-speaking urban-dwelling older adults as a means to evaluate language equivalence of the tool
In addition to the physical consequences associated with falling, psychological distress characterized as loss of confidence, low perceived self-efficacy, and fear has been identified in both persons with and without a history of falling [2,3,4,5]
Exploratory factor analysis Based on the scree plot of the MFES-English, one factor explained most of the variability in the data
Summary
To investigate item-level measurement properties of the Modified Falls Efficacy (MFES) Scale among English- and Spanish-speaking urban-dwelling older adults as a means to evaluate language equivalence of the tool. The Falls Efficacy Scale (FES) can be used to assess an individual’s confidence in performing common activities of daily living without falling. While the results yielded what appears to be a reliable modification of the FES, “the FES – International assesses ‘concern’ about falling” and not fear of falling [22] (p.617). The distinction between these two latent constructs (i.e., concern about falling and fear of falling) has implications for an accurate representation of fear of falling among older adults [3]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
