Direct and indirect measurement of physical activity in older adults: a systematic review of the literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Due to physiological and cognitive changes that occur with aging, accurate physical activity (PA) measurement in older adults represents a unique challenge. The primary purpose of this study was to systematically review measures of PA and their use and appropriateness with older adults. A secondary aim was to determine the level of agreement between PA measures in older adults.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Literature was identified through electronic databases. Studies were eligible if they examined the correlation and/or agreement between at least 2 measures, either indirect and/or direct, of PA in older adults (> 65 years of age).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thirty-six studies met eligibility criteria. The indirect and direct measures of PA across the studies differed widely in their ability to address the key dimensions (i.e., frequency, intensity, time, type) of PA in older adults. The average correlation between indirect and direct measures was moderate (r=0.38). The correlation between indirect and other indirect measures (r=0.29) was weak, while correlations between direct measures with other direct measures were high (real world: r= 0.84; controlled settings: r=0.92). Agreement was strongest between direct PA measures with other direct measures in both real world and laboratory settings. While a clear trend regarding the agreement for mean differences between other PA measures (i.e., direct with indirect, indirect with indirect) did not emerge, there were only a limited number of studies that reported comparable units.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Despite the lack of a clear trend regarding the agreement between PA measures in older adults, the findings underscore the importance of valid, accurate and reliable measurement. To advance this field, researchers will need to approach the assessment of PA in older adults in a more standardized way (i.e., consistent reporting of results, consensus over cut-points and epoch lengths, using appropriate validation tools). Until then researchers should be cautious when choosing measures for PA that are appropriate for their research questions and when comparing PA levels across various studies.</p

Problems with Sleep Do Not Predict Self-Reported Driving Factors and Perception in Older Drivers: Evidences from the Candrive II Prospective Cohort

Given that sleep problems and serious motor vehicle collisions are increasingly prevalent in older adults, even minor drowsiness could potentially contribute to driving patterns in older drivers. To date, it is unknown whether less serious problems with sleep influence driving frequency and ability in older adults. We investigated the influence of everyday sleep disturbances on driving practices and driver perceptions in a large cohort of healthy older drivers. Selfreported measures of sleep problems were used to investigate the influence of sleep disturbance on self-reported driving practices and perceived driving abilities. On two measures of self-reported driving outcomes, participants with problems with rated themselves more poorly. However, this relationship disappeared when health and demographic variables were entered prior in hierarchical regression analyses. Our results show that the relationship between sleep problems, driving frequency and perceived abilities is better explained by mediating demographic, health, and cognitive factors

The role of physical attractiveness in the assessment of elderly patients

The degree to which patient physical attractiveness affects judgements of professionals and relatives of patients as well as the psychosocial adjustment of elderly was investigated within the context of a longitudinal quasi-experimental design. In contrast to previous analogue and cross-sectional research, no evidence was found to support the contention that physical attractiveness has a potent impact on any of the variables under study.attractiveness elderly perception adjustment