title: Gender differences in the performance of activities of daily living.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To verify that the activities of daily living (ADL) motor and process skill items and tasks in the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) are free from gender bias, and to compare mean differences in ADL motor and process ability between men and women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive comparison; convenience sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  Existing data from the AMPS database.
  
  
  METHODS
  Potential participants included nonwell persons (age range, 18-99y) matched within 3 age groups, first by functional level and then by diagnostic category. The resulting sample included 9250 men and 9250 women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  The AMPS, a standardized observational assessment of the quality of ADL task performance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the AMPS task calibrations and 1 motor skill item calibration (Lifts) demonstrated an observable difference between men and women. Men had higher ADL motor ability (F(1,18494)=11.58, P<.01) and women had higher ADL process ability (F(1,18494)=76.18, P<.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the AMPS is free of gender bias. Although differences were found between men and women in mean ADL motor and process ability, they were not considered clinically detectable differences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, 219 Occupational Therapy Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1573, USA. brenda.merritt@cahs.colostate.edu
authors.forename: Brenda K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Merritt
authors.forename: Anne G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000592:standards; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014481:United States