The Phone-FITT: a brief physical activity interview for older adults

J Aging Phys Act. 2008 Jul;16(3):292-315. doi: 10.1123/japa.16.3.292.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a brief physical activity interview for older adults (Phone-FITT) and evaluate its test-retest reliability and validity. Summary scores were derived for household, recreational, and total PA. Reliability was evaluated in a convenience sample from a fall-prevention study (N = 43, 79.4 +/- 2.9 years, 51% male), and validity, in a random sample of individuals in older adult exercise programs (N = 48, 77.4 +/- 4.7 years, 25% male). Mean time to complete the Phone-FITT was 10 min for participants sampled from exercise programs. Evaluation of test-retest reliability indicated substantial to almost perfect agreement for all scores, with intraclass correlation coefficients (95% confidence intervals) ranging from .74 (.58-.85) to .88 (.8-.94). For validity, Spearman's rho correlations of Phone-FITT scores with accelerometer counts ranged from .29 (.01-.53) to .57 (.34-.73). Correlations of Phone-FITT recreational scores with age and seconds to complete a self-paced step test ranged from -.29 (-.53 to -.01) to -.45 (-.68 to -.14). This study contributes preliminary evidence of the reliability and validity of the Phone-FITT.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Female
  • Geriatric Assessment*
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic* / standards
  • Leisure Activities
  • Male
  • Motor Activity / physiology*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Surveys and Questionnaires / standards