Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
Volume 105, Issue 12 , Pages 992-1000 , 2006

Psychometric Properties of the Berg Balance Scale in a Community-dwelling Elderly Resident Population in Taiwan

  • Ching-Yi Wang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Physical Therapy, Tzu-Chi College of Technology, Hualien, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Dr Ching-Yi Wang, Department of Physical Therapy, Tzu-Chi College of Technology, 880 Jen-Kuo Road, Section 2, Hualien 970, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Ching-Lin Hsieh

      Affiliations

    • School of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
    • Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Sharon L. Olson

      Affiliations

    • School of Physical Therapy, Texas Women's University, Houston, Texas, USA
    • ,
  • Chun-Hou Wang

      Affiliations

    • School of Physical Therapy, College of Medical Technology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Ching-Fan Sheu

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Cognitive Science, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Chung-Chao Liang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Rehabilitation, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan

Received 4 November 2005 ,Revised 9 January 2006 ,Accepted 6 June 2006.

References 

  1. Berg K , Wood-Dauphinee S , Williams JI , et al.   Measuring balance in the elderly: preliminary development of an instrument . Physiother Can . 1989;41:304–311
  2. Berg KO , Maki BE , Williams JI , et al.   Clinical and laboratory measures of postural balance in an elderly population . Arch Phys Med Rehabil . 1992;73:1073–1080
  3. Horak FB , Henry SM , Shumway-Cook A . Postural perturbations: new insights for treatment of balance disorders . Phys Ther . 1997;77:517–533
  4. Nicholas DS . Balance retraining after stroke using force platform biofeedback . Phys Ther . 1997;77:553–558
  5. Berg K . Balance and its measure in the elderly: a review . Physiother Can . 1989;41:240–246
  6. Tinetti ME , Speechley M , Ginter SF . Risk factors for falls among elderly persons living in the community . N Engl J Med. . 1988;319:1701–1707
  7. Chiu AY , Au-Yeung SS , Lo SK . A comparison of four functional tests in discriminating fallers from non-fallers in older people . Disabil Rehabil . 2003;25:45–50
  8. Duncan PW , Studenski S , Chandler J , et al.   Functional reach: predictive validity in a sample of elderly male veterans . J Gerontol . 1992;47:M93–M98
  9. Guralnik JM , Ferrucci L , Simonsick EM , et al.   Lower-extremity function in persons over the age of 70 years as a predictor of subsequent disability . N Engl J Med. . 1995;332:556–561
  10. Reuben DB , Siu AL , Kimpau S . The predictive validity of self-report and performance-based measures of function and health . J Gerontol . 1992;47:M106–M110
  11. Williams ME , Gaylord SA , Gerrity MS . The timed manual performance test as a predictor of hospitalization and death in a community-based elderly population . J Am Geri Soc . 1994;42:21–27
  12. Hellstrom K , Lindmark B , Wahlberg B , et al.   Self-efficiency in relation to impairments and activities of daily living disability in elderly patients with stroke: a prospective investigation . J Rehabil Med. . 2003;35:202–207
  13. Garland SJ , Willems DA , Ivanova TD , et al.   Recovery of standing balance and functional mobility after stroke . Arch Phys Med Rehabil . 2003;84:1753–1759
  14. Lin JH , Hsieh CL , Hsiao SF , et al.   Predicting long-term care institution utilization among post-rehabilitation stroke patients in Taiwan: a medical centre-based study . Disabil Rehabil . 2001;23:722–730
  15. Noren AM , Bogren U , Bolin J , et al.   Balance assessment in patients with peripheral arthritis: applicability and reliability of some clinical assessments . Physiother Res Int. . 2001;6:193–204
  16. Tesio L , Perucca L , Franchignoni FP , et al.   A short measure of balance in multiple sclerosis: validation through Rasch analysis . Fun Neurol . 1997;12:255–265
  17. Whitney S , Wrisley D , Furman J . Concurrent validity of the Berg Balance Scale and the Dynamic Gait Index in people with vestibular dysfunction . Physiother Res Int. . 2003;8:178–186
  18. Hatch J , Gill-Body KM , Portney LG . Determinants of balance confidence in community-dwelling elderly people . Phys Ther . 2003;83:1072–1079
  19. Lee HK , Scudds RJ . Comparison of balance in older people with and without visual impairment . Age Aging . 2003;32:643–649
  20. Brown M , Sinacore DR , Binder EF , et al.   Physical and performance measures for the identification of mild to moderate frailty . J Gerontol . 2000;55:350–355
  21. Daubney ME , Culham EG . Lower-extremity muscle force and balance performance in adults aged 65 years and older . Phys Ther . 1999;79:1177–1185
  22. Harada N , Chiu V , Damron-Rodriguez J , et al.   Screening for balance and mobility impairment in elderly individuals living in residential care facilities . Phys Ther . 1995;75:462–469
  23. Steffen TM , Hacker TA , Mollinger L . Age- and gender-related test performance in community-dwelling elderly people: six-minute walk test, Berg balance scale, timed up & go test, and gait speeds . Phys Ther . 2002;82:128–137
  24. Boulgarides LK , McGinty SM , Willett JA , et al.   Use of clinical and impairment-based tests to predict falls by community-dwelling older adults . Phys Ther . 2003;83:328–339
  25. Lusardi MM , Pellecchia GL , Schulman M . Functional performance in community living older adults . J Geri Phys Ther . 2003;26:14–22
  26. Berg KO , Wood-Dauphinee SL , Williams JI , et al.   Measuring balance in the elderly: validation of an instrument . Can J Public Health . 1992;83:7–11
  27. Wang CH , Hsueh IP , Sheu CF , et al.   Psychometric properties of two simplified 3-level balance scales used for patients with stroke . Phys Ther . 2004;84:430–438
  28. Mao HF , Hsueh IP , Tang PF , et al.   Analysis and comparison of the psychometric properties of three balance measures for stroke patients . Stroke . 2002;33:1022–1027
  29. Newton RA . Balance screening of an inner city older adult population . Arch Phys Med Rehabil . 1997;78:587–591
  30. Kornetti DL , Fritz SL , Chiu YP , Light KE . Rating scale analysis of the Berg Balance Scale . Arch Phys Med Rehabil . 2004;85:1128–1135
  31. Lajoie Y , Gallagher SP . Predicting falls within the elderly community: comparison of postural sway, reaction time, the Berg balance scale and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale for comparing fallers and non-fallers . Arch Gerontol Geriatr . 2004;38:11–26
  32. Nunnally JC , Bernstein IH . Psychometric Theory . New York: McGraw-Hill; 1994;
  33. Katz SC , Ford AB , Moskowitz RW , et al.   Studies of illness in the aged. The index of ADL: a standardized measure of biological and psychological function . JAMA . 1963;185:914–919
  34. Guralnik JM , LaCroix AZ , Abbott RD , et al.   Maintaining mobility in late life. Demographic characteristics and chronic conditions . Am J Epidemiol . 1993;137:845–857
  35. Guralnik JM , Ferrucci L , Simonsick EM , et al.   Lower-extremity function in persons over the age of 70 years as a predictor of subsequent disability . N Engl J Med. . 1995;332:556–561
  36. Lawton MP , Brody EM . Assessment of older people: self-maintaining and instrumental activities of daily living . Gerontologist . 1969;9:179–186
  37. Bogle-Thorbahn LD , Newton RA . Use of the Berg Balance Test to predict falls in elderly persons . Phys Ther . 1996;76:576–585
  38. Liston RA , Brouwer BJ . Reliability and validity of measures obtained from stroke patients using the Balance Master . Arch Phys Med Rehabil . 1996;77:425–430
  39. Shumway-Cook A , Baldin M , Polissar NL , Gruber W . Predicting the probability for falls in community-dwelling older adults . Phys Ther . 1997;77:812–819
  40. Riddle DL , Stratford PW . Interpreting validity indexes for diagnostic tests: an illustration using the Berg Balance Test . Phys Ther . 1999;79:939–948
  41. Podsiadlo D , Richardson S . The timed ‘Up and Go’: a test of basic functional mobility for frail elderly persons . J Am Geri Soc . 1991;39:142–147
  42. Hughes C , Osman C , Woods AK . Relationship among performance on stair ambulation, Functional Reach, and Timed Up and Go tests in older adults . Issues on Ageing . 1998;21:18–22
  43. Shumway-Cook A , Brauer S , Woollacott M . Predicting the probability for falls in community-dwelling older adults using the Timed Up & Go Test . Phys Ther . 2000;80:896–903
  44. Mathias S , Nayak US , Isaacs B . Balance in elderly patients: the “Get-Up and Go” Test . Arch Phys Med Rehabil . 1986;67:387–389
  45. Cress ME , Schechman KB , Mulrow CD , et al.   Relationship between physical performance and self-perceived physical function . J Am Geri Soc . 1995;43:93–101
  46. Shinkai S , Watanabe S , Kumagai S , et al.   Walking speed as a good predictor for the onset of functional dependence in a Japanese rural community population . Age Ageing . 2000;29:441–446
  47. Tager IB , Swanson A , Satariano WA . Reliability of physical performance and self-reported functional measures in an older population . J Gerontol . 1998;53:M295–M300
  48. Flansbjer UB , Holmback AM , Downham D , et al.   Reliability of gait performance tests in men and women with hemi-paresis after stroke . J Rehabil Med. . 2005;37:75–82
  49. Bohannon RW . Comfortable and maximum walking speed of adults aged 20–79 years: reference values and determinants . Age Ageing . 1997;26:15–19
  50. Wade DT , Wood VA , Heller A , et al.   Walking after stroke: measurement and recovery over the first 3 months . Scand J Rehabil Med. . 1987;19:25–30
  51. Lohr KN , Aaronson NK , Alonso J , et al.   Evaluation quality of life and health status instrument: development of scientific review criteria . Clin Ther . 1996;18:979–992
  52. McHorney CA , Tarlov AR . Individual-patient monitoring in clinical practice: are available health status surveys adequate? . Qual Life Res . 1995;4:293–307
  53. Ware JE . SF-36 Health Survey: Manual and Interpretation Guide . Boston, Massachusetts: The Health Institute, New England Medical Center; 1993;
  54. Portney LG , Watkins MP . Foundations of Clinical Research: Applications to Practice . Connecticut: Appleton & Lange; 1993;
  55. Holbein-Jenny MA , Billek-Sawhney B , Beckman E , Smith T . Balance in personal care home residents: a comparison of the Berg Balance Scale, the Multi-Directional Reach Test, and the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale . J Geriatr Phys Ther . 2005;28:48–53
  56. Mao HF , Hsueh IP , Tang PF , et al.   Analysis and comparison of the psychometric properties of three balance measures for stroke patients . Stroke . 2003;33:1022–1027
  57. Huang SL , Hsieh CL , Lin PH , et al.   Reliability and concurrent validity of the Berg Balance Scale . J Occup Ther Assoc ROC . 1995;13:25–33
  58. Sackley C , Richardson P , McDonnell K , et al.   The reliability of balance, mobility and self-care measures in a population of adults with a learning disability known to a physiotherapy service . Clin Rehabil . 2005;19:216–223

PII: S0929-6646(09)60283-7

doi: 10.1016/S0929-6646(09)60283-7

Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
Volume 105, Issue 12 , Pages 992-1000 , 2006

Article Tools