Measuring Symptoms in Community-dwelling Older Adults

The Psychometric Properties of a Brief Symptom Screen

Bibliographic Data

ID9099799
AuthorsChristine S Ritchie (0000-0002-4881-9416, University of California, San Francisco, corresponding author), Kristine R Hearld (0000-0002-0501-874X, University of Alabama), Alden Gross, Alden L Gross (0000-0002-4678-0562, Johns Hopkins University), Richard M Allman (0000-0002-1850-6515, University of Alabama), Richard Allman, Patricia Sawyer (University of Alabama), Kendra Sheppard, Kendra D Sheppard (University of Alabama), Amanda Salanitro, Amanda H Salanitro (Vanderbilt University), J L Locher (0000-0002-2639-6459, University of Alabama), Julie Locher, Cynthia J Brown (0000-0003-3254-4750, University of Alabama), David L Roth (0000-0003-2105-0536, Johns Hopkins University)
Year2013
Volume51
Issue10
Pages949-955
Publication date2013-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMedical Care (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0025-7079 • E-ISSN: 1537-1948
PublisherOvid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1097/mlr.0b013e3182a53d1f
PMID23969593
PMCIDPMC4084777
OpenAlexW2037808759
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited11

BACKGROUND: With aging, the probability of experiencing multiple chronic conditions has increased, along with symptoms associated with these conditions. Symptoms form a central component of illness burden, and distress. To date, most symptom measures have focused on a particular disease population. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to develop and evaluate a simple symptom screen using data obtained from a representative sample of community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: Psychometric analyses were conducted on 10 self-reported dichotomous symptom indicators collected during in-person interviews from a sample of 1000 community-dwelling older adults. Symptoms included shortness of breath, feeling tired or fatigued, problems with balance or dizziness, perceived weakness in legs, constipation, daily pain, stiffness, poor appetite, anxiety, and anhedonia. RESULTS: Over one third of the individuals (37.4%) had 5 or more concurrent symptoms. Stiffness and feeling tired were the most common symptoms. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed on the 10 symptoms for single factor and bifactor (physical and affective) models of symptom reporting. Goodness-of-fit indices indicated better fit for the bifactor model (χdf=10=89.6; P<0.001), but the practical significance of the improvement in fit was negligible. Differential item functioning analyses showed some differences of relatively high magnitude in location parameters by race; however, because the differential item functioning was in different directions, the impact on the overall measure was most likely lessened. CONCLUSIONS: Among community-dwelling older adults, a large proportion experienced multiple co-occurring symptoms. This Brief Symptom Screen can be used to quickly measure the overall symptom load in older adult populations, including those with multiple chronic conditions

Anhedonia · Anxiety · Confirmatory factor analysis · Differential item functioning · Distress · Feeling · Item response theory · Physical therapy · Population · Psychiatry · Psychometrics · Structural equation modeling · Weakness · Chronic Disease Management Strategies · Clinical Psychology · Health Promotion and Cardiovascular Prevention · Medicine · Psychology · Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments

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