Background: The new fall risk assessment (FRA) system is a composite and comprehensive assessment tool developed to predict the risk of falls. The aim of this pilot study was to examine the new FRA system's test-retest reliability and sensitivity to change in community-dwelling older adults.
Methods: This was an observational study with a test-retest design and an 8-week fall prevention exercise program. A sample of 28 community-dwelling older adults with a mean age of 73.0 years (range, 65-80 years) participated in the study. The new FRA system was administered twice within a 7-day period for test-retest reliability expressed as intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM) assessment. Eighteen subjects of them completed the 8-week fall prevention exercise intervention to evaluate the new FRA system's sensitivity to change.
Results: In the evaluation of interrater reliability for the new FRA system, the ICC (95% confidence interval) of the total score was 0.77 (0.47-0.98), with good reliability. The SEM was 11.61 for the total FRA score. A good to excellent reliability was observed, with ICC levels of 0.73 to 0.91 for the 4 composite scores of the new FRA system. Following the 8-week exercise intervention, the mean total FRA score (effect size, 0.58) significantly increased (p=0.028).
Conclusion: The new FRA system has generally moderate to excellent interrater reliability and reliable sensitivity to change in community-dwelling older adults. Our findings provide support for the reliability of the new FRA system in healthy older adults without a fall history.
Keywords: Balance examination; Fall risk; Older adults; Reliability; Sensitivity to change.
Copyright © 2018 by The Korean Geriatric Society.