Proxy reports of physical activity were valid in older people with and without cognitive impairment

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Abstract

Objective: To determine the validity of proxy reports of physical activity in people with symptoms of cognitive impairment. Study Design and Setting: In the Canadian Study of Health and Aging, a multicenter prospective cohort study, someone close to the participant (proxy) reported exercise levels for people who screened positive for cognitive impairment or were institutionalized (n = 2421), some of whom were subsequently diagnosed with cognitive impairment (n = 1612) and some of whom were diagnosed as having no cognitive impairment (n = 809). The reliability and validity of proxy reports of physical activity were examined by agreement with self-reports of physical activity (intraclass correlation coefficient) and by association with adverse health markers (Mantel-Haenzel χ2) and survival time (Cox proportional hazards). Results: Proxy reports of physical activity had moderate interrater reliability (0.55, 95% confidence interval: 0.49-0.61, P < 0.001). People in higher physical activity group had fewer adverse health outcomes than those in lower physical activity groups. Predictive validity was confirmed as people who had higher proxy-reported physical activity survived longer that those with lower physical activity. Conclusion: Proxy-reported physical activity appears to be a valid estimate of physical activity in people with symptoms or a diagnosis of cognitive impairment.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)435-440
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Clinical Epidemiology
Volume63
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2010

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
All significant contributors to this work are included as authors. Funding for these analyses come from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and from the Fountain Innovation Fund of the Queen Elizabeth II Research Foundation, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Susan Kirkland receives support through a Clinical Scholar Award from the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University. Kenneth Rockwood is supported by the Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation as Kathryn Allen Weldon Professor of Alzheimer Research.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Epidemiology

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