Validity and Reliability of a Telehealth Physical Fitness and Functional Assessment Battery for Ambulatory Youth With and Without Mobility Disabilities: Observational Measurement Study
BackgroundYouth (age 15-24 years) with and without disability are not adequately represented enough in exercise research due to a lack of time and transportation. These barriers can be overcome by including accessible web-based assessments that eliminate the need for on-site...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
JMIR Publications
2024-02-01
|
| Series: | JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies |
| Online Access: | https://rehab.jmir.org/2024/1/e50582 |
| _version_ | 1797316395587862528 |
|---|---|
| author | Byron Lai Danielle Wadsworth Katherine Spring Chloe S Jones Madison Mintz Laurie A Malone Yumi Kim Jereme Wilroy Holim Lee |
| author_facet | Byron Lai Danielle Wadsworth Katherine Spring Chloe S Jones Madison Mintz Laurie A Malone Yumi Kim Jereme Wilroy Holim Lee |
| author_sort | Byron Lai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundYouth (age 15-24 years) with and without disability are not adequately represented enough in exercise research due to a lack of time and transportation. These barriers can be overcome by including accessible web-based assessments that eliminate the need for on-site visitations. There is no simple, low-cost, and psychometrically sound compilation of measures for physical fitness and function that can be applied to youth with and without mobility disabilities.
ObjectiveThe first purpose was to determine the statistical level of agreement of 4 web-modified clinical assessments with how they are typically conducted in person at a laboratory (convergent validity). The second purpose was to determine the level of agreement between a novice and an expert rater (interrater reliability). The third purpose was to explore the feasibility of implementing the assessments via 2 metrics: safety and duration.
MethodsThe study enrolled 19 ambulatory youth: 9 (47%) with cerebral palsy with various mobility disabilities from a children’s hospital and 10 (53%) without disabilities from a university student population. Participants performed a battery of tests via videoconferencing and in person. The test condition (teleassessment and in person) order was randomized. The battery consisted of the hand grip strength test with a dynamometer, the five times sit-to-stand test (FTST), the timed up-and-go (TUG) test, and the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) either around a standard circular track (in person) or around a smaller home-modified track (teleassessment version, home-modified 6-minute walk test [HM6MWT]). Statistical analyses included descriptive data, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and Bland-Altman plots.
ResultsThe mean time to complete the in-person assessment was 16.9 (SD 4.8) minutes and the teleassessment was 21.1 (SD 5.9) minutes. No falls, injuries, or adverse events occurred. Excellent convergent validity was shown for telemeasured hand grip strength (right ICC=0.96, left ICC=0.98, P<.001) and the TUG test (ICC=0.92, P=.01). The FTST demonstrated good agreement (ICC=0.95, 95% CI 0.79-0.98; P=.01). The HM6MWT demonstrated poor absolute agreement with the 6MWT. However, further exploratory analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between the tests (r=0.83, P<.001). The interrater reliability was excellent for all tests (all ICCs>0.9, P<.05).
ConclusionsThis study suggests that videoconference assessments are convenient and useful measures of fitness and function among youth with and without disabilities. This paper presents operationalized teleassessment procedures that can be replicated by health professionals to produce valid and reliable measurements. This study is a first step toward developing teleassessments that can bypass the need for on-site data collection visitations for this age group. Further research is needed to identify psychometrically sound teleassessment procedures, particularly for measures of cardiorespiratory endurance or walking ability. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:17:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7e71cf6099c84520b4f083fe90123d0b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2369-2529 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:17:47Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies |
| spelling | doaj.art-7e71cf6099c84520b4f083fe90123d0b2024-02-12T14:45:33ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies2369-25292024-02-0111e5058210.2196/50582Validity and Reliability of a Telehealth Physical Fitness and Functional Assessment Battery for Ambulatory Youth With and Without Mobility Disabilities: Observational Measurement StudyByron Laihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5464-4720Danielle Wadsworthhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0466-6876Katherine Springhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5606-5191Chloe S Joneshttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7447-5442Madison Mintzhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2024-0867Laurie A Malonehttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9426-6325Yumi Kimhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7949-1735Jereme Wilroyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3496-7389Holim Leehttps://orcid.org/0009-0000-2070-4636 BackgroundYouth (age 15-24 years) with and without disability are not adequately represented enough in exercise research due to a lack of time and transportation. These barriers can be overcome by including accessible web-based assessments that eliminate the need for on-site visitations. There is no simple, low-cost, and psychometrically sound compilation of measures for physical fitness and function that can be applied to youth with and without mobility disabilities. ObjectiveThe first purpose was to determine the statistical level of agreement of 4 web-modified clinical assessments with how they are typically conducted in person at a laboratory (convergent validity). The second purpose was to determine the level of agreement between a novice and an expert rater (interrater reliability). The third purpose was to explore the feasibility of implementing the assessments via 2 metrics: safety and duration. MethodsThe study enrolled 19 ambulatory youth: 9 (47%) with cerebral palsy with various mobility disabilities from a children’s hospital and 10 (53%) without disabilities from a university student population. Participants performed a battery of tests via videoconferencing and in person. The test condition (teleassessment and in person) order was randomized. The battery consisted of the hand grip strength test with a dynamometer, the five times sit-to-stand test (FTST), the timed up-and-go (TUG) test, and the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) either around a standard circular track (in person) or around a smaller home-modified track (teleassessment version, home-modified 6-minute walk test [HM6MWT]). Statistical analyses included descriptive data, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and Bland-Altman plots. ResultsThe mean time to complete the in-person assessment was 16.9 (SD 4.8) minutes and the teleassessment was 21.1 (SD 5.9) minutes. No falls, injuries, or adverse events occurred. Excellent convergent validity was shown for telemeasured hand grip strength (right ICC=0.96, left ICC=0.98, P<.001) and the TUG test (ICC=0.92, P=.01). The FTST demonstrated good agreement (ICC=0.95, 95% CI 0.79-0.98; P=.01). The HM6MWT demonstrated poor absolute agreement with the 6MWT. However, further exploratory analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between the tests (r=0.83, P<.001). The interrater reliability was excellent for all tests (all ICCs>0.9, P<.05). ConclusionsThis study suggests that videoconference assessments are convenient and useful measures of fitness and function among youth with and without disabilities. This paper presents operationalized teleassessment procedures that can be replicated by health professionals to produce valid and reliable measurements. This study is a first step toward developing teleassessments that can bypass the need for on-site data collection visitations for this age group. Further research is needed to identify psychometrically sound teleassessment procedures, particularly for measures of cardiorespiratory endurance or walking ability.https://rehab.jmir.org/2024/1/e50582 |
| spellingShingle | Byron Lai Danielle Wadsworth Katherine Spring Chloe S Jones Madison Mintz Laurie A Malone Yumi Kim Jereme Wilroy Holim Lee Validity and Reliability of a Telehealth Physical Fitness and Functional Assessment Battery for Ambulatory Youth With and Without Mobility Disabilities: Observational Measurement Study JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies |
| title | Validity and Reliability of a Telehealth Physical Fitness and Functional Assessment Battery for Ambulatory Youth With and Without Mobility Disabilities: Observational Measurement Study |
| title_full | Validity and Reliability of a Telehealth Physical Fitness and Functional Assessment Battery for Ambulatory Youth With and Without Mobility Disabilities: Observational Measurement Study |
| title_fullStr | Validity and Reliability of a Telehealth Physical Fitness and Functional Assessment Battery for Ambulatory Youth With and Without Mobility Disabilities: Observational Measurement Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Validity and Reliability of a Telehealth Physical Fitness and Functional Assessment Battery for Ambulatory Youth With and Without Mobility Disabilities: Observational Measurement Study |
| title_short | Validity and Reliability of a Telehealth Physical Fitness and Functional Assessment Battery for Ambulatory Youth With and Without Mobility Disabilities: Observational Measurement Study |
| title_sort | validity and reliability of a telehealth physical fitness and functional assessment battery for ambulatory youth with and without mobility disabilities observational measurement study |
| url | https://rehab.jmir.org/2024/1/e50582 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT byronlai validityandreliabilityofatelehealthphysicalfitnessandfunctionalassessmentbatteryforambulatoryyouthwithandwithoutmobilitydisabilitiesobservationalmeasurementstudy AT daniellewadsworth validityandreliabilityofatelehealthphysicalfitnessandfunctionalassessmentbatteryforambulatoryyouthwithandwithoutmobilitydisabilitiesobservationalmeasurementstudy AT katherinespring validityandreliabilityofatelehealthphysicalfitnessandfunctionalassessmentbatteryforambulatoryyouthwithandwithoutmobilitydisabilitiesobservationalmeasurementstudy AT chloesjones validityandreliabilityofatelehealthphysicalfitnessandfunctionalassessmentbatteryforambulatoryyouthwithandwithoutmobilitydisabilitiesobservationalmeasurementstudy AT madisonmintz validityandreliabilityofatelehealthphysicalfitnessandfunctionalassessmentbatteryforambulatoryyouthwithandwithoutmobilitydisabilitiesobservationalmeasurementstudy AT laurieamalone validityandreliabilityofatelehealthphysicalfitnessandfunctionalassessmentbatteryforambulatoryyouthwithandwithoutmobilitydisabilitiesobservationalmeasurementstudy AT yumikim validityandreliabilityofatelehealthphysicalfitnessandfunctionalassessmentbatteryforambulatoryyouthwithandwithoutmobilitydisabilitiesobservationalmeasurementstudy AT jeremewilroy validityandreliabilityofatelehealthphysicalfitnessandfunctionalassessmentbatteryforambulatoryyouthwithandwithoutmobilitydisabilitiesobservationalmeasurementstudy AT holimlee validityandreliabilityofatelehealthphysicalfitnessandfunctionalassessmentbatteryforambulatoryyouthwithandwithoutmobilitydisabilitiesobservationalmeasurementstudy |