Biomedical subjects

Maureen J Simmonds

Publications and source records attributed to Maureen J Simmonds.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2002

Physical function in patients with cancer: psychometric characteristics and clinical usefulness of a physical performance test battery.

This study investigated the psychometric properties of a battery of physical performance tests, characterized physical function in patients with cancer referred for rehabilitation, and provided normative standards against which to compare disease progression and/or future treatment effectiveness. A total of 109 patients with cancer (55 women and 54 men) and 105 control subjects (66 women and 39 men) participated. Subjects completed self-report questionnaires regarding pain, physical function, and fatigue, and also performed nine physical performance tests: the time taken to complete various tasks (picking up coins, tying a belt, reaching up, putting on a sock, standing from sitting, a 50-foot fast walk, a 50-foot walk at preferred speed), the distance walked in 6 minutes, and the distance reached forward while standing were measured. Inter-tester and test-retest reliability was good to excellent for all tests (ICC(11) 0.69 to 0.99). Known group analyses controlling for age were significant (P < 0.001) for all physical performance tests. Control subjects significantly and systematically outperformed those with cancer by a factor of two or three. Examination of the correlation matrices showed relatively low correlations between performance and external measures (r = 0.01 to 0.45). In contrast, correlations among performance measures were generally in the range of r = 0.25 to 0.85. Correlations between self-report of function and performance of functional tests were moderate, suggesting that the two methods of measuring function are complementary and both should be used for assessment and as outcome measures.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Physical performance tasks: what are the underlying constructs?

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the structural validity of a battery of physical performance tasks and to investigate the construct validity of the resulting factors. DESIGN: A measurement study. SETTING: A large, private orthopedic clinic and a physical therapy clinic in an urban area. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred three consecutive adult patients with low back pain who were referred for physical therapy assessment. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The physical performance battery was composed of the 50-foot speed walk, 5-minute walk, repeated trunk flexion, sit to stand, loaded reach, rollover tasks, and Sorensen upper-body lift. Participants also completed 5 self-report measures. RESULTS: Two correlated (.74) factors, speed and coordination and endurance and strength, were derived from the physical performance tasks. The Sorenson upper-body lift task was the only indicator that was not useful in defining the factors. Both factors had statistically significant correlations with measures of physical disability, lack of self-efficacy, and negative affect. Both factors had a trivial correlation with a numeric rating of pain intensity. CONCLUSIONS: There is support for 2 meaningful empiric groupings (ie, the derived factors) of the performance tasks. Pain intensity had a trivial overlap with speed-coordination and endurance-strength factors.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Back pain, physical function, and estimates of aerobic capacity: what are the relationships among methods and measures?

OBJECTIVES: To establish the correlations of measures of self-reported disability, self-efficacy, physical performance, level of pain, and estimates of aerobic capacity (PvO2 ) in subjects with low back pain. DESIGN: Fifty-one low back pain subjects, ranging in age from 26 to 65 yr, entered the study. Participants completed the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire and the self-efficacy questionnaire. Physical performance was evaluated by the loaded-reach test, sit/stand test, 5-min walk test, 50-foot walking test, and time to roll from right to left. Pain intensity and pain affect were measured using two visual analog scales. PvO2 was predicted from an equation. RESULTS: The correlation coefficient among the physical performance outcomes ranged from 0.47 to 0.78. Pain measures had low correlations with measures of function but stronger correlations with other self-report measures. The disability measure correlated moderately with physical performance. Correlations between PvO2 and all other measurements were minimal, except for the 5-min walk test. CONCLUSION: Performance and disability were more consistent in evaluating low back pain. PvO2 failed to correlate with most other aspects of low back pain. This study suggests that aerobic capacity might not be a primary concern for patients with low back pain.

Adult↗