['Autonometer'. Proposal of a scale to assess independence in the elderly]

Abstract

Introduction: The demographic forecast predicts an aging population in all developed countries, and this will lead to an increase of frailty in the elderly. Gerontology professionals need tools to detect frailty in advance. A test is presented for assessing multidimensional independence, consisting of a questionnaire and a test.

Material and method: A test of cognitive functional assessment was designed for the elderly, consisting of a questionnaire of 40 questions (Autonometro-Q) and a test of 26 tasks (Autonometro-T) that can be used together or independently.

Results: Autonometro-T test obtained a Cronbach α of 0.85 with four dimensions, and a Kappa coefficient of 0.40. Autonometro-Q is a five-dimensional short questionnaire with a Cronbach α of 0.94, a Kappa coefficient of 0.63 and has a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 87%, with positive and negative predictive values of 73% and 94%, respectively, using Autonometro-T as the reference standard.

Conclusions: Autonometro is a useful tool for frailty screening in the elderly, which examines the physical markers related to daily living activities, using an objective test.

Keywords: Autonomía; Estudio de validación; Fragilidad; Frail elderly; Geriatric assessment; Independent living; Validation studies; Valoración geriátrica.