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The MAT-sf: Clinical Relevance and Validity

2013; Oxford University Press; Volume: 68; Issue: 12 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/gerona/glt068

1758-535X

W. Jack Rejeski, A. P. Marsh, Steve Anton, S.-H. Chen, Timothy S. Church, Thomas M. Gill, Jack M. Guralnik, Nancy W. Glynn, ­Abby C. King, Julia Rushing, Edward H. Ip,

Frailty in Older Adults

The measurement of mobility is essential to both aging research and clinical practice. A newly developed self-report measure of mobility, the mobility assessment tool—short form (MAT-sf), uses video animations to improve measurement accuracy/precision. Using a large baseline data set, we recalibrated the items, evaluated the extent to which older patients’ self-efficacy (i.e., confidence) for walking was related to MAT-sf scores beyond their actual 400-m walk time, and assessed the relationship of the MAT-sf with body mass index and other clinical variables. The analyses employed baseline data from the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Study. Item recalibration demonstrated that the MAT-sf scoring algorithm was robust. In an analysis with 400-m walk time and self-efficacy regressed on the MAT-sf, both variables shared unique variance with the MAT-sf (p < .001). The MAT-sf was inversely related to several comorbidities, most notably hypertension and arthritis (p < .001), and scores were lowest when body mass index ≥ 35kg/m2. Finally, MAT-sf scores were directly related to Short Physical Performance Battery scores, inversely related to difficulty with activities of daily living (p < .001) and higher for men than for women (p < .001). The findings extend the validity and clinical utility of this innovative tool for assessing self-reported mobility in older adults. Longitudinal data on the MAT-sf from the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Study will enable us to evaluate the relative contributions of self-report and performance-based measures of mobility on important health outcomes.