Factors associated with adherence to an accelerometer protocol in older adults.
BACKGROUND
Adherence to protocols of accelerometer use by participants of research studies is crucial to ensure the most accurate measure of their physical activity.


METHODS
We used data from a study of 201 individuals 65 years of age and older to examine whether aging effects on physical and cognitive health limit the ability of an older adult to be adherent to an accelerometer protocol.


RESULTS
A comparison of participants who met the adherent person criteria with those who did not showed that the percentage of participants whose income is $20,000 or greater, the percentage of participants who reported white race, and the mean number of school grades completed were significantly different between the 2 groups. Logistic regression analyses showed that the best multivariate model to predict being a valid person included Instrumental Activities of Daily Living score, while the best multivariate model to predict being an adherent person included Modified Guralnik Lower Body Score and Mini-Mental State Examination Score.


CONCLUSIONS
This study found that certain measures of physical and cognitive functioning were the best predictors of adherence to an accelerometer protocol among older adults.
Dept. of Surveys and Information Services, Mathematica Policy Research, Princeton, NJ, USA.
Erin
E
Gemmill
Constance M
CM
Bayles
Kathleen
K
McTigue
William
W
Satariano
Ravi
R
Sharma
John W
JW
Wilson
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010414:Pennsylvania; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors