title: Assessments of interrater reliability and internal consistency of the Norwegian version of the Berg Balance Scale.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the interrater reliability and the internal consistency of the Norwegian version of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) when applied to patients in a geriatric department.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interrater reliability was measured using the kappa statistics and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Geriatric rehabilitation unit and geriatric day hospital in Norway.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-three patients were included; 25 were inpatients in a geriatric rehabilitation unit, whereas 58 were admitted to a geriatric day hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  The BBS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The kappa values for the different BBS items varied from 0.83 to 1.00, and the ICC for the sum score of the BBS was .998 (95% confidence interval, .996-.999). The mean value of the BBS was 44.4. There was a negative significant relation between age and the sum score (r=-.36). The sum scores of BBS ranged from 12 to 56. The patients were able to perform the BBS without ceiling effect. The score values 3 and 4 were more frequently used than the score values 0, 1, and 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Norwegian version of the BBS seems to have an excellent interrater reliability and high internal consistency when applied to patients in geriatric rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, Ullevaal University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. karin.halsaa@ulleval.no
authors.forename: Karin E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Halsaa
authors.forename: Therese
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brovold
authors.forename: Vibeke
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Graver
authors.forename: Leiv
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sandvik
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bergland
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D005853:Geriatrics; D006782:Hospitals, Special; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D009664:Norway; D015588:Observer Variation; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D004856:Postural Balance; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014175:Translating