Measurement properties of the CHAMPS physical activity questionnaire in a sample of older Australians.
BACKGROUND
The effective evaluation of physical activity interventions for older adults requires measurement instruments with acceptable psychometric properties that are sufficiently sensitive to detect changes in this population.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the measurement properties (reliability and validity) of the Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS) questionnaire in a sample of older Australians.


METHODS
CHAMPS data were collected from 167 older adults (mean age 79.1 S.D. 6.3 years) and validated with tests of physical ability and the SF-12 measures of physical and mental health. Responses from a sub-sample of 43 older adults were used to assess 1-week test-retest reliability.


RESULTS
Approximately 25% of participants needed assistance to complete the CHAMPS questionnaire. There were low but significant correlations between the CHAMPS scores and the physical performance measures (rho=0.14-0.32) and the physical health scale of the SF-12 (rho=0.12-0.24). Reliability coefficients were highest for moderate-intensity (ICC=0.81-0.88) and lowest for vigorous-intensity physical activity (ICC=0.34-0.45). Agreement between test-retest estimates of sufficient physical activity for health benefits (> or =150min and > or =5 sessions per week) was high (percent agreement=88% and Cohen's kappa=0.68).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that the CHAMPS questionnaire has acceptable measurement properties, and is therefore suitable for use among older Australian adults, as long as adequate assistance is provided during administration.
Cyarto
E V
EV
School of Human Movement Studies, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Qld. 4072, Australia. ecyarto@hms.uq.edu.au
Marshall
A L
AL
Dickinson
R K
RK
Brown
W J
WJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires