title: ["Activity scale for the elderly" as a measurement for the QOL of local elderly individuals and the assessment of the influence of age and exercise].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the influence of exercise on the QOL of local elderly individuals, we created an activity scale for the elderly (ASE) and investigated its reliability and validity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We created 36-item ASE and performed factor analysis. The reliability of the ASE was tested by determining Cronbach's coefficient alpha and confirmatory factor analysis in a cohort of 5,280 people, living in the community. The validity of the ASE was assessed by analyzing the interrelationship between the subdomains, age, and exercise.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By factor analysis, four subdomains and 20 items remained significant for measuring ASE. The average ASE in the 5,280 people was 27.18+/-5.28 points, with no sex difference. Confirmatory factor analysis showed the stability of the four subdomains. Cronbach's alpha demonstrated the internal consistency of the scale. Regarding the relationship between the four subdomains, age, and exercise, a significant difference was found between those who exercised and those who did not exercise, and between the 4 different age groups. By means of two-way ANOVA, significant interaction was found between exercise and age; ASE decreased from 26.3 points in the sixth decade of life to 23.9 in the seventh decade of life in those who did not exercise, while no decrease was found in those who exercised. Furthermore, ASE was significantly higher in those who exercised than those who did not non-exercise in each age decade group. These results suggest that exercise prevents age-associated decline in ASE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ASE provides a reliable and valid measure for the QOL of elderly individuals living in the community, and exercise appears beneficial for preventing age-associated decline in ASE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, Kyorin University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kozaki
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Youichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Igata
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toba
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life