Original articles
The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE): Evidence for Validity

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0895-4356(99)00049-9Get rights and content

Abstract

We assessed the validity of the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) in a sample of sedentary adults (56 men, 134 women, mean age ± [SD] 66.5 ± 5.3 years) who volunteered to participate in a randomized controlled trial on the effect of aerobic conditioning on psychological function. Construct validity was established by correlating PASE scores with physiologic and performance characteristics: peak oxygen uptake, resting heart rate and blood pressure, percent body fat, and balance. The mean PASE scores were higher in men than in women (men = 145.8 ± 78.0; women = 123.9 ± 66.3, P < 0.05), and in those age 55–64 years compared with those age 65 years and over (55–64 = 144.2 ± 75.8; 65 and over = 118.9 ± 63.9, P < 0.05). PASE scores were also significantly higher in those who did not report a chronic health condition (cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, or recent surgery). PASE scores were significantly associated (P < 0.05) with peak oxygen uptake (r = 0.20), systolic blood pressure (r = −0.18) and balance score (r = 0.20). No significant associations of PASE score and diastolic blood pressure, resting heart rate, or percent body fat were noted. These results provide additional evidence for the validity of the PASE as a measure of physical activity suitable for use in epidemiology studies on the association of physical activity, health, and physical function in older individuals.

Introduction

Physical activity is thought to play an important role in the maintenance of health and effective function in older people 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Recently, physical activity surveys specific to older adults have been developed 7, 8, 9, 10 for assessing levels of physical activity, factors associated with physical activity, and the association between physical activity and health and physical function in older people. One of these instruments, the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) is a brief (5 minutes) and easily scored survey designed specifically to assess physical activity in epidemiologic studies of persons age 65 years and older [9]. The PASE score combines information on leisure, household, and occupational activity and was systematically developed and validated in a sample of 277 community-dwelling older adults, mean age 73 years [9]. Validity for the PASE was established by correlating PASE scores with health status and physiologic measures. PASE scores were significantly (P < 0.05) associated with grip strength (r = 0.37), static balance (r = 0.33), leg strength (r = 0.25), resting heart rate (r = −0.13), age (r = −0.13) and sickness impact profile score (r = −0.42). There has been limited published information relative to the validity of the PASE, mean values for the PASE, or other PASE characteristics such as the sensitivity of PASE scores to change over time or the relative contribution of leisure, household, and occupational activity to the total PASE score other than that from the initial development an evaluation study [9]. Schuit et al. [11] recently compared PASE scores from a slightly modified version of the PASE with energy expenditure over a 2-week period measured by doubly labeled water in a sample of 21 elderly Dutch men and women. They reported a significant correlation of the modified PASE score with the residuals from a regression analysis using total energy expenditure as the dependent and resting metabolic rate as the independent variable (r = 0.58 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.50–0.81]). Schuit et al. [11] also noted higher PASE scores in women compared with men and suggested that this was due to a higher proportion of women participating in housework and taking care of others, PASE items that have higher relative scoring weights. In addition, the PASE is currently being used as a physical activity assessment tool in samples that are younger and include a higher proportion of individuals who are employed compared with the sample on which the PASE was originally developed [12]. The purpose of the present analysis was to extend the previous work to provide additional information relative to the validity of the PASE in a sample of young-old individuals by comparing PASE scores with measures potentially affected by physical activity (peak oxygen uptake, body fat percent, resting heart rate, blood pressure, and balance 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23). We were also interested in more closely examining the PASE score to determine which components (leisure, household, occupational) activity contribute most to the total score and to determine how differences in the relative importance of these components may differ by age and gender.

Section snippets

Participants

Sedentary, older adults were recruited through local media advertising to participate in a 6-month randomized controlled exercise trial to evaluate the effect of aerobic conditioning on psychological function. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) age 55 to 75 years; (2) sedentary, as defined by a lack of regular involvement in exercise during the previous 6 months verified by exercise history and assessment of aerobic capacity by maximal graded exercise testing; (3) healthy to the degree

Results

The descriptive characteristics of the study sample are displayed in Table 1. The sample was well-educated, predominantly white (95.5%) with an average age (±SD) of 66.5 ± 5.3 years. More than 60% of men and 45% of women reported a college education or more. Approximately 70% of men and 60% of women were employed outside the home. Women were more likely to be unmarried than men (53.4% women, 10.9% men). Values for peak oxygen uptake, resting heart rate, resting blood pressure, and balance were

Discussion

This study, in a sample of volunteers mean age 66 years, provides additional evidence in support of the validity of the PASE as a useful measure of physical activity for epidemiologic studies of older individuals. We reported significant correlations in the hypothesized directions between PASE scores and physiologic, as well as demographic and health status, characteristics. Peak oxygen uptake, resting systolic blood pressure, and balance were significantly associated with PASE scores.

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by grant # AG12113 from the National Institute on Aging awarded to Dr. McAuley.

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