[The validity and reliability of a questionnaire for assessing the functional capacity of older persons].
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to evaluate the validity and reliability of a questionnaire to measure the functional capacity in older people.


METHODS
Observational cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Community level. Three basic health areas.


METHODS
519 individuals over 64 selected by systematic random sampling taking as sampling units a list of household living at least an individual over 64 years.


RESULTS
A new questionnaire was developed starting from the OARS-MFAQ, the CVA. This new questionnaire is shorter but it maintains the same structure. Ten interviews were recorded in a videotape and subsequently analyzed and marked by four different observers to evaluate the inter-observer agreement. To assess the criterion validity the rates of 40 individuals in the CVA were compared with the rates assigned to the same individuals by experts in each area of the questionnaire (physical health, mental health, daily activities, economic resources, and social support). The criterion validity of the version to proxies of CVA (CVA-I) was studied comparing the answers in the CVA of 31 individuals and the answers given in the CVA-I by proxies of the same 31 individuals. The internal consistency in both versions of the questionnaire was studied in 519 individuals, agreement showed values of kappa coefficient between 0.43 and 0.69. Correlation coefficients Interobserver between expert's rates showed values between 0.54 and 0.74. Correlation coefficients between CVA and CVA-I showed values between 0.60 and 0.74 except in the social support dimension (0.16). The Cronbach alpha coefficient were 0.73 for CVA and 0.62 for CVA-I.


CONCLUSIONS
The CVA questionnaire showed an acceptable validity and reliability except in the social support dimension of the CVA-I.
Martínez Vizcaíno
V
V
Departamento de Salud Pública, EU de Enfermería de Cuenca, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha. vmvizcai@enf-cu.uclm.es
Lozano Muñoz
A
A
García Navalón
P
P
Cruz López
M V
MV
Martínez García
A B
AB
Ponce Alonso
J
J
Domínguez Contreras
M L
ML
Payán Martínez
A I
AI
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Validez y fiabilidad de un cuestionario para valorar la capacidad funcional de las personas mayores.