Task-Specific Fatigue Among Older Primary Care Patients

J Aging Health. 2017 Mar;29(2):310-323. doi: 10.1177/0898264316635567. Epub 2016 Jul 8.

Abstract

Objective: Fatigue is a common condition contributing to disability among older patients. We studied self-reported task-specific fatigue and its relation with mobility task performance among community-dwelling primary care patients.

Method: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline demographic and health data from a prospective cohort study of 430 primary care patients aged 65 years or older. Fatigue was measured using the Avlund Mobility-Tiredness Scale. Performance tasks included rising from a chair, walking 4 m, and climbing two flights of stairs.

Results: Among demographic and health factors, pain was the only attribute consistently predictive of fatigue status. Self-reported chair rise fatigue and walking fatigue were associated with specific task performance. Stair climb fatigue was not associated with stair climb time.

Discussion: Pain is strongly associated with fatigue while rising from a chair, walking indoors, and climbing stairs. This study supports the validity of self-reported chair rise fatigue and walking fatigue as individual test items.

Keywords: aged; fatigue; mobility; task performance.

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Boston
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Fatigue*
  • Female
  • Geriatric Assessment*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pregnancy
  • Primary Health Care*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Self Report
  • Task Performance and Analysis*
  • Walking / physiology