title: Single and dual task tests of gait speed are equivalent in the prediction of falls in older people: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: Although simple assessments of gait speed have been shown to predict falls as well as hospitalisation, functional decline and mortality in older people, dual task gait speed paradigms have been increasingly evaluated with respect to fall prediction. Some studies have found that dual task walking paradigms can predict falls in older people. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine whether dual task walking paradigms involving a secondary cognitive task have greater ability to predict falls than single walking tasks. The meta-analytic findings indicate single and dual task tests of gait speed are equivalent in the prediction of falls in older people and sub-group analyses revealed similar findings for studies that included only cognitively impaired participants, slow walkers or used secondary mental-tracking or verbal fluency tasks.
authors.affiliation: Falls and Balance Research Group, Neuroscience Research Australia, P.O. Box 1165, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia; School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Jasmine C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Menant
authors.affiliation: Falls and Balance Research Group, Neuroscience Research Australia, P.O. Box 1165, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia; School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schoene
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarofim
authors.affiliation: Falls and Balance Research Group, Neuroscience Research Australia, P.O. Box 1165, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia; School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia. Electronic address: s.lord@neura.edu.au.
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Lord
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003071:Cognition; D005080:Exercise Test; D005684:Gait; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016138:Walking
keywords: Accidental falls; Cognition; Dual task paradigm; Gait speed; Older people; Prediction