title: [Reliability of the measurement of stature in subjects with severe motor and intellectual disabilities].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to examine the reliability of the measurement of stature in individuals with severe motor and intellectual disabilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a stratified sampling method 12 subjects (mean age of 28.7 +/- 11.5), were selected from 73 subjects with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (mean age of 37.1 +/- 15.0). Each subjects'stature was measured using two measurement methods. One measured the tibia length (TL-method) and, the other measured the whole body by measuring three sections. (Division-method). 3 examiners measured all subjects using the TL-method and Division-method two times repeatedly. In addition, one examiner measured all subjects within two weeks following the initial measurement. Intra-rater reliability was calculated from single and two times measurements using each method. The Inter-rater reliability was calculated using measurement results from 2 or 3 examiners in both single and two times measurements. The correlation between values measured by the TL-method and the Division-method was calculated using Spearman rank correlation coefficient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TL-method and Division-method had good intra-rater reliability (ICC>0.90, 95%CI>0.80) and good inter-rater reliability (ICC>0.90, 95%CI>0.70) in both measurement methods. For both measurement methods, inter-rater reliability was more preferable when 3 examiners measured two times repeatedly (ICC>0.90, 95%CI>0.90). There was good correlation between values measured by TL-method and the Division-method (r=0.83).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both TL-method and Division-method had good reliability. However, the TL-method could be considered a more useful measurement method as it can be completed more easily and in a short period of time.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo. reha@nikonikohouse.or.jp
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kihara
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imanishi
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Usuku
authors.forename: Mio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mito
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D001827:Body Height; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results