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Purpose: Reactive balance is a critical consideration for mobility and fall avoidance, but is under-assessed among physiotherapists. The objective of this study was to explore factors influencing physiotherapist perceptions about measuring reactive balance upon completion of a 12-month theory-based, multi-component intervention to increase use of a measure of reactive balance. Methods: A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 physiotherapists treating adults with balance impairment in three urban Canadian rehabilitation hospitals that participated in the intervention. Interviews explored perceptions of reactive balance measurement and perceived changes in clinical behavior. Thematic analysis involved multiple rounds of coding, review and discussion, theme generation, and interpretation of findings through individual analysis and team meetings. Findings: Participants expressed contrasting views about integrating reactive balance measurement in their practice, despite consistent acknowledgement of the importance of reactive balance for function. Three themes were identified highlighting factors that mediated perceptions about measuring reactive balance: patient characteristics; trust between physiotherapist and patient; and the role of physiotherapist fear. Conclusions: The findings highlight that decision making for measuring reactive balance in rehabilitation settings is complex. There is a need for additional work to facilitate long-term implementation of clinical reactive balance measurement, such as refining patient criteria for administration, ensuring sufficient time to establish a trusting relationship, and developing and testing strategies to address physiotherapist fear. Reactive balance is important for falls prevention and mobility, but is under-assessed among physiotherapists. This study identified three factors that influenced uptake of reactive balance measurement among physiotherapists in rehabilitation settings: patient characteristics; trust between physiotherapist and patient; and the role of physiotherapist fear. Knowledge of the identified factors may assist with design and use of reactive and other balance measurements. Strategies aimed at developing trusting relationships between physiotherapist and patient along with addressing physiotherapist fear could facilitate the uptake of clinical reactive balance measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with chronic respiratory diseases often have the simple goal of wanting to walk for longer. We evaluated the properties of a patient goal-oriented, symptom-limited, self-paced walk (SPW).Methods: Patients with symptomatic chronic respiratory disease, referred for a 6-week course of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), were screened for eligibility. Baseline assessments included two SPWs with both time and speed measured, two 6-min walk tests (6MWTs), and the Medical Research Council dyspnea scale. On program completion, two SPWs and one 6MWT were performed. The repeatability, responsiveness, and validity of the SPW were assessed.Results: Two SPWs were completed by 50 and 37 patients before and after rehabilitation, respectively. The speed (r = -0.54, P < .001) but not the time (r = -0.23, P = .19) of the SPW correlated with Medical Research Council dyspnea grade. The mean SPW time increased on the second day of testing from 15.1 ± 8.4 min to 17.9 ± 7.7 min (P = .004), and the effect of test day was unaltered by PR (P = .80). The coefficient of repeatability for SPW time was 16.1 min. Both the mean SPW time (10.6 min; 95% CI, 6.6-14.5 min; P < .001) and the mean speed (3.5 m/min; 95% CI, 1.3-5.7 m/min; P < .01) increased after rehabilitation.Conclusions: The SPW time is an easily understandable, patient goal-oriented assessment with construct validity that is highly responsive to the effects of PR. The variability in SPW time makes it better suited to interpreting group rather than individual changes.Trial Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT00781183; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical activity (PA) declines with age despite the knowledge that physical inactivity is a leading cause of disease, death, and disability worldwide. To better tailor PA interventions to older adults, researchers are turning to the collaborative principles of co-design. The purpose of this systematic review was to compare the effectiveness of co-designed PA interventions and standard care for increasing PA and other health outcomes (i.e., physical function, quality of life, mental health, functional independence, attendance and attrition rates) in older adults., Methods: A search was conducted in MEDLINE, AgeLine, CINAHL, Embase, and SPORTDiscus. Records were screened by independent pairs of reviewers. Primary research studies conducted among community-dwelling older adults (age 60+) comparing co-designed PA interventions to standard care were considered for inclusion. Controls included wait-list control, usual care, sham interventions, PA interventions without the use of co-design, and no intervention. A random effects meta-analysis was conducted, and the standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to report effect estimates. Quality of evidence was rated using GRADE., Results: Of 16,191 studies screened, eight (N = 16,733) were included in this review. Most studies reported results favouring the effect of co-design on physical activity; however, only two studies (N = 433) could be pooled for meta-analysis resulting in a SMD of 0.28, (95% CI = -0.13 to 0.69; p = 0.19; I2 = 56%) immediately post-intervention. The GRADE quality of evidence was very low. The quantitative analysis of three studies reported improved physical function., Conclusion: This review did not demonstrate that co-designed PA interventions are more effective than standard care for increasing PA in older adults; however, evidence was limited and of very low quality. Further well-designed trials are warranted to better understand the impacts of co-designed PA interventions and how to best implement them into practice., Trial Registration: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022314217., Competing Interests: The authors have read the journal’s policy and have the following competing interests: MB is supported by a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Mobility, Aging and Chronic Disease award (950-233142) as Canada Research Chair (https://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/) outside of the submitted work. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials., (Copyright: © 2024 Zacharuk et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Purpose: To establish the responsiveness of the disability component of the Late Life Function and Disability Instrument (LLDI) and its Computer Adaptive Test (LLDI-CAT) in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)., Method: Participants completed the LLDI, LLDI-CAT and measures of physical function, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and symptom severity before and after pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), and global rating of change (GRC) scales at the end of PR. Responsiveness was explored by calculating correlations between LLDI and LLDI-CAT change scores and change scores on the other measures, and calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the ability of the LLDI and LLDI-CAT to discriminate between participants who were improved versus unchanged. We hypothesized fair correlations (-0.3 to -0.5 or 0.3 to 0.5) with other measures and considered an AUC≥0.7 acceptable. Minimal important differences (MIDs) were estimated using anchor- and distribution-based approaches., Results: Fifty participants (mean (SD) age 69.8 (7.9) years) completed the study. Only the limitation dimension of the LLDI showed improvement at follow-up (z = 2.4, p = 0.018) and was able to discriminate between participants who were improved versus unchanged (AUC 0.7 (95% CI 0.6-0.9)). Correlations between change scores were as hypothesized between the participation measures and measures of at least two other constructs., Conclusion: This study provides MID values for the LLDI and LLDI-CAT to support their clinical application. The limitation dimension of the LLDI appears to be particularly responsive to PR in people with COPD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Participation restriction has detrimental effects for older adults but it is unknown how participation differs for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared to older adults of the same age without respiratory conditions. We compared scores on the Late Life Disability Instrument (LLDI) between people with COPD (study group) and a random sample of older adults (control group)., Methods: Participants with COPD (study group) were recruited from two hospitals in Ontario and age- and sex-matched with a ratio of 1:2 with participants from a random sample of community-dwelling older adults who did not report having respiratory conditions (control group). The study group completed the LLDI prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the control group completed the LLDI at the end of the first wave of the pandemic. LLDI frequency and limitation scores were compared between groups using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests., Results: Forty-six study group participants (mean age 74.2 (SD 5.5) years) and 92 control group participants (mean age 74.4 (SD 5.4) years) were included. Fifty-four percent of the participants were female. The majority of the study group had severe COPD (median forced expiratory volume in one second of 34.5 (25th-75th percentile 27.0-56.0) % predicted). LLDI sores were lower for the study group compared to the control group for both the frequency (median difference -5.4 points, p<0.001) and limitation (median difference -7.6 points, p<0.001) domains. The personal subscale demonstrated the largest magnitude of difference between groups (median difference -13.4 points) and the social subscale demonstrated the smallest magnitude of difference (-5.2 points)., Conclusion: People with COPD had greater participation restrictions than a random sample of older adults without ongoing respiratory conditions. The differences seen in participation between the two groups may have been reduced due to temporal confounding from the COVID-19 pandemic. While participation is relevant to all older adults, our results suggest that it is especially important that it be assessed in those with COPD., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background and Objectives: The World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) recognizes participation in life situations as a major component of health. Identifying interventions that target this component is critical, particularly in older adulthood, where declines in physical functioning can impact participation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of lifestyle or behavior change interventions on the ICF participation domain in older adults., Research Design and Methods: MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), AgeLine (EBSCO), PsycINFO (Ovid), and AMED (Ovid) were searched from inception to April 2020 for randomized controlled trials comparing the effects of any behavior change or lifestyle intervention to usual care among community-dwelling adults ≥60 years with respect to participation-related domains of the ICF. The protocol was registered with Prospero (CRD42019125334)., Results: Eight studies with a total of 1,548 participants were included. No significant effect on participation outcomes was found (standardized mean difference 0.04; 95% CI -0.19 to 0.26; p = .76) and the quality of evidence was judged to be very low., Discussion and Implications: Lifestyle or behavior change interventions showed limited effect on participation in later life. However, there remains much uncertainty in the estimate of this effect due, in part, to the low quality of the included studies. Measurement tools that are responsive to changes in participation in older adulthood should be used to determine the effect of such interventions. Improving study design will lead to more efficacious interventions that promote participation for our aging population., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Purpose: We aimed to elicit patients' views of research priorities related to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Method: We used a modified nominal group technique in which participants with chronic lung conditions who had completed PR attended one of five meetings during which they generated ideas, discussed them with the group, and prioritized their top three topics. Afterward, they completed member checking and satisfaction questionnaires. Results: Fourteen participants (mean age 71 years) prioritized 25 topics, which included music as a motivator, education about the reason for various assessments and exercises, and ongoing patient assessment and follow-up. Most participants "totally agreed" that the summarized topics matched what they thought was important in PR research (75%) and that the meeting was a positive experience (100%). Participants indicated that the findings of this study accurately reflected their priorities. Conclusions: Individuals who have completed PR may have questions about programme components including assessment, treatment, and strategies for promoting motivation. To inform future research projects and identify knowledge translation needs, we will distribute a questionnaire to a larger sample of former PR patients to further prioritize the 25 topics identified in the meetings., (© Canadian Physiotherapy Association.)

Objective: To examine potential determinants of participation frequency and limitations in people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)., Methods: For this secondary analysis, we grouped the following factors using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) components: age, psychological distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)), gait aid use, supplemental oxygen use, grip strength, modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea scale, Short Physical Performance Battery, and Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT). Participation was measured using the frequency and limitation domains of the Late Life Disability Instrument (LLDI). Relationships between factors and participation were examined using linear regression., Results: Ninety-six participants (age 68.7 ± 8.1 yrs; FEV 1 %pred 34 IQR 25-54) were included in the analysis. Factors were linked to four ICF components: activity, body functions, personal, and environmental factors. The final model for LLDI-frequency contained HADS, use of gait aid, and 6MWT (F (3, 81) = 27.69 ( p < .001), R 2 = 0.51), and for LLDI-limitations, the final model included age, HADS, and 6MWT (F (3, 82) = 19.74 ( p < .001), R 2 = 0.42)., Discussion: Participation in life situations in people with COPD is associated with multiple ICF components. Psychological distress (i.e., anxiety and depression symptoms) and mobility were important determinants of participation frequency and limitations. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these relationships.

Objective: Mobility interventions have been shown to mitigate functional decline in various clinical populations; however, the effects of mobility programs in older hospitalized patients are unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of unstructured mobility programs on physical activity, physical function, length of stay (LOS), and quality of life (QOL) in older (≥60 years) general medicine inpatients., Design: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and AMED databases from inception to March 2020, plus hand screening references of relevant studies., Setting and Participants: We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies assessing the effects of mobility programs compared to usual care in older adults admitted to general medicine units., Measures: Teams of 2 reviewers independently extracted data, assessed risk of bias, and evaluated quality of evidence. Where study population, intervention, and outcomes were similar, results from RCTs were combined by meta-analysis., Results: Three RCTs and 10 quasi-experimental studies met eligibility criteria. Interventions mainly included ambulation and staff, patient, or caregiver education. Meta-analyses showed that mobility interventions had a moderate effect on physical activity [step count standardized mean difference 0.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.23-0.97] and a nonsignificant effect on LOS (mean difference -0.36, 95% CI -1.92 to 1.21), both favoring mobility. Narrative synthesis showed consistent evidence for improvement in physical function, potential decrease in LOS, and no increase in adverse events with mobility interventions., Conclusions and Implications: Unstructured mobility interventions in general medicine units may improve older hospitalized patients' physical activity and physical function; however, the quality of evidence was low. More RCTs are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of mobility interventions, particularly on LOS and QOL., (Copyright © 2020 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Computer-adaptive tests use respondents' answers to previous questions to select the subsequent questions. They are gaining popularity for their increased measurement precision and decreased administration time compared to static questionnaires. The purpose of this study was to estimate the test-retest reliability and construct validity of the computer-adaptive test version of a participation measure, the Late Life Disability Instrument (LLDI-CAT) for people with COPD and to compare scores and administration time with those of the static LLDI. Among 76 older adults with COPD, scores on the LLDI-CAT were compared to scores on measures of related constructs, between groups based on symptom severity, prognosis and frailty phenotype, and to scores on the static LLDI. A subsample of 28 people completed the LLDI-CAT a second time within one week of the initial administration for test-retest reliability. The LLDI-CAT had very good test-retest reliability (ICC 2,1 0.88; SEM 2.74 points), fair correlations with physical function ( r  = 0.37-0.50), anxiety (r=-0.42), and depression (r=-0.50), fair to moderately-strong correlations with quality of life ( r  = 0.48-0.63), and strong correlation with the static LLDI limitation domain ( r  = 0.80). The LLDI-CAT scores differed between people with different symptom severity, prognosis and frailty phenotype ( p  ≤ 0.004). The mean administration time for the LLDI-CAT was 3.3 (1.5) minutes, less than that of the static LLDI at 6.3 (2.8) minutes ( p  < 0.001). The LLDI-CAT demonstrates evidence of test-retest reliability and construct validity, and correlates well with the limitation domain of the static LLDI for people with COPD. The LLDI-CAT can be used to assess participation for this population.

Background and Objective: Physical frailty is associated with increased mortality and hospitalizations in older adults. We describe the prevalence of physical frailty and its prognostic impact in patients with a spectrum of fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD)., Methods: Patients with fibrotic ILD at the McMaster University ILD programme were prospectively followed up from November 2015 to March 2020. Baseline data were used to classify patients as non-frail (score = 0), pre-frail (score = 1-2) or frail (score = 3-5) based on modified Fried physical frailty criteria. The association between physical frailty and mortality was assessed using time-to-event models, adjusted for age, sex, lung function and diagnosis using the ILD Gender-Age-Physiology (ILD-GAP) score., Results: We included 463 patients (55% male, mean [SD] age 68 [11] years); 82 (18%) were non-frail, 258 (56%) pre-frail and 123 (26%) frail. The most common ILD diagnoses were idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (n = 183, 40%) and connective tissue disease-associated-ILD (n = 79, 17%). Mean time since diagnosis was 2.7 ± 4.6 years. There were 56 deaths within the median follow-up of 1.71 (interquartile range [IQR] 1.24, 2.31) years. Both frail and pre-frail individuals had a higher risk of death compared to those categorized as non-frail at baseline (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 4.14, 95% CI 1.27-13.5 for pre-frail and aHR 4.41, 95% CI 1.29-15.1 for frail)., Conclusion: Physical frailty is prevalent in patients with ILD and is independently associated with an increased risk of death. Assessment of physical frailty provides additional prognostic value to recognized risk scores such as the ILD-GAP score, and may present a modifiable target for intervention., (© 2021 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.)

Purpose: Guidelines for pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) include balance training but lack specific parameters. After a knowledge translation project at our site, clinicians modified the physiotherapy programme to facilitate the sustainability of balance training as part of PR. The purpose of this study was to explore whether the modified programme resulted in improved balance and balance confidence. A secondary aim was to provide information on the way in which balance training was operationalized as part of PR for clinicians wanting to incorporate it into an existing PR programme. Method: We conducted a retrospective study of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, enrolled in a 4- to 6-week inpatient PR programme over a 1-year period. Balance training was provided biweekly with a staff-to-patient ratio of 2:11. Participants completed the brief Balance Evaluation Systems Test (brief-BESTest) and Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale at the beginning and end of PR. Results: The 85 participants had a mean age of 69.5 (SD 9.0) years. After completing an average of 7.6 balance sessions (min-max 2-13), participants showed improvements in brief-BESTest (mean difference 3.2 [95% CI: 2.5, 3.9] points) and ABC (mean difference 7.8 [95% CI: 4.1, 11.5] percent). Conclusions: A staff-to-patient ratio of 2:11 and a training frequency of twice per week for 4-6 weeks improved balance. This result will inform how we incorporate balance training into existing PR programmes., (© Canadian Physiotherapy Association.)

Background: Generic preference-based measures (GPBMs) are health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures commonly used to evaluate the cost-utility of interventions in healthcare. However, the degree to which the content of GPBMs reflect the HRQoL of individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has not yet been assessed. The purpose of this study was to examine the content and convergent validity of GPBMs in people with COPD., Methods: COPD patients were recruited from healthcare centers in Ontario, Canada. The Patient-Generated Index (PGI) (an individualized HRQoL measure) and the RAND-36 (to obtain SF-6D scores; a GPBM) were administered. Life areas nominated with the PGI were coded using the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health and mapped onto GPBMs., Results: We included 60 participants with a mean age of 70 and FEV1% predicted of 43. The mean PGI score was 34.55/100 and the top three overarching areas that emerged were: 'mobility' (25.93%), 'recreation and leisure' (25.19%) and 'domestic life' (19.26%). Mapping of the nominated areas revealed that the Quality of Well-Being scale covered the highest number of areas (84.62%), Health Utilities Indices covered the least (15.38% and 30.77%) and other GPBMs covered between 46 and 62%. A correlation of 0.32 was calculated between the SF-6D and the PGI., Conclusions: The majority of GPBMs covered approximately half of the areas reported as being important to individuals with COPD. When areas relevant to COPD are not captured, HRQoL scores generated by these measures may inaccurately reflect patients' values and affect cost-effectiveness decisions.

Background: Participation in life roles is a critical patient-centered health outcome associated with morbidity and mortality in older adults, but it is not measured routinely in people with COPD. We aimed to validate a participation measure, the Late Life Disability Instrument (LLDI), in people with COPD., Research Question: To what extent does the LLDI demonstrate test-retest measurement error and reliability, internal consistency, construct and face validity, and floor or ceiling effects when applied to people with COPD?, Study Design and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, LLDI scores were compared with scores on measures of theoretically related constructs and between groups based on symptom severity, prognosis, and frailty. A subsample (n = 36) completed the LLDI a second time over the phone within one week. Participants and health-care professionals were asked about the relevance, comprehensiveness, and comprehensibility of the LLDI. Floor and ceiling effects were explored, and the internal consistency (Cronbach's α) of the LLDI was calculated., Results: Ninety-six older adults with COPD participated. The frequency and limitation domains of the LLDI showed excellent test-retest reliability (two-way random effect intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.90 [standard error of measurement, 1.74 points] and 0.90 [standard error of measurement, 3.16 points], respectively). Both domains showed fair correlations with physical function, depression, and quality of life (r = 0.38-0.59). The relationship with anxiety was poor for the LLDI frequency domain (r = -0.21) and fair for LLDI limitation domain (r = -0.45). Both domains discriminated between people with different symptom severity, prognosis, and frailty (P ≤ .026). Neither domain showed floor or ceiling effects, and Cronbach's α was 0.69 and 0.91 for the LLDI frequency and limitation domains, respectively. All healthcare professionals and most participants agreed that the LLDI measures participation (79%) and that the items were relevant (81%)., Interpretation: The LLDI shows test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and construct and face validity in people with COPD. The LLDI can be used to assess participation in this population., (Copyright © 2020 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To explore the predictive ability of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Late Life Function and Disability Instrument-Function component (LLFDI-function) and frailty phenotype, for falls, hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) visits, and low self-rated health (SRH) over 1 and 2 years in older adults., Design: Secondary analysis of data from a longitudinal study, the Boston Rehabilitative Impairment Study of the Elderly., Setting: Primary care., Participants: Adults 65 years and older at risk for disability who completed ≥1 follow-up call (N=391)., Interventions: None., Main Outcome Measures: We computed separate logistic regression models using the SPPB, LLFDI-function, and frailty phenotype as independent variables and falls, hospitalizations, ED visits, and SRH over 1 and 2 years as dependent variables. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed and the areas under the curves calculated., Results: Participants had a mean age of 76.5±7.1 years. The SPPB, LLFDI-function, and frailty phenotype all predicted hospitalizations and low SRH over a 1- and 2-year timeframe (odds ratio [OR] min-max, 1.35-1.51 and 1.67-3.07, respectively). Over 2 years, the SPPB predicted ED visits (OR, 1.28), and the LLFDI-function predicted falls (OR, 1.31). The LLFDI-function predicted low SRH better than the frailty phenotype over 1 year. There were no differences between the measures for any of the other outcomes., Conclusions: The SPPB, LLFDI-function, and frailty phenotype had similar accuracy for predicting falls, hospitalizations, ED visits, and low SRH over 1 and 2 years among older primary care patients at risk for disability. As a result, when considering the optimal screening tool for older adults, the choice between a measure of function and frailty may ultimately depend on clinical preference and context., (Copyright © 2019 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Most implementation interventions in rehabilitation, including physiotherapy, have used passive, non-theoretical approaches without demonstrated effectiveness. The goal of this study was to improve an important domain of physiotherapy practice - reactive balance measurement - with a targeted theory-based multi-component intervention developed using the Theoretical Domains Framework. The primary objective was to determine documented reactive balance measure use in a 12-month baseline, during, and for three months post- intervention., Methods: An uncontrolled before-and-after study was completed with physiotherapists at three urban adult rehabilitation hospitals in Ontario, Canada. The 12-month intervention included group meetings, local champions, and health record modifications for a validated reactive balance measure. The primary outcome was the proportion of records with a documented reactive balance measure when balance was assessed pre-, during- and post-intervention. Secondary outcomes were changes in use, knowledge, and confidence post-intervention, differences across sites, and intervention satisfaction., Results: Reactive balance was not measured in any of 211 eligible pre-intervention records. Thirty-three physiotherapists enrolled and 28 completed the study. Reactive balance was measured in 31% of 300 eligible records during-intervention, and in 19% of 90 eligible records post-intervention (p < 0.04). Knowledge and confidence significantly increased post-intervention (all p < 0.05). There were significant site differences in use during- and post-intervention (all p < 0.05). Most participants reported satisfaction with intervention content (71%) and delivery (68%)., Conclusions: Reactive balance measurement was greater among participants during-intervention relative to the baseline, and use was partially sustained post-intervention. Continued study of intervention influences on clinical reasoning and exploration of site differences is warranted.

Background: Increasing symptoms and activity restriction associated with COPD progression greatly impact on the lives of their informal caregivers, who play a vital role in maintaining their health. An understanding of this impact is important for clinicians to support caregivers and maintain a viable patient environment at home. This systematic review aimed to identify the instruments commonly used to assess informal caregiving in COPD and describe their measurement properties in this population., Methods: Searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL and PsycINFO and in references of key articles, until November 2016 (PROSPERO: CRD42016041401). Instruments used to assess the impact of COPD on caregivers were identified and their properties described. Quality of studies was rated using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. Quality of the measurement properties of instruments was rated as 'positive', 'negative' or 'indeterminate'., Results: Patients cared for, had moderate to very severe COPD and the sample of caregivers ranged from 24 to 406. Thirty-five instruments were used in fifty studies to assess caregivers' psychological status and mood (9 instruments), burden/distress (12 instruments), quality of life (5 instruments) or other (9 instruments). Eighteen studies assessed the measurement properties of 21 instruments, most commonly hypothesis testing (known validity) and internal consistency. Study quality varied from 'poor' to 'fair' and with many properties rated as 'indeterminate'., Conclusions: Although several instruments have been used to assess the impact of COPD on caregivers, an increased understanding of their properties is needed before their widespread implementation., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest) and its two abbreviated versions (mini-BESTest and briefBESTest) are functional balance tools that have yet to be validated in middle aged and elderly people living in the community., Objective: Determine the construct validity of the three BESTest versions by comparing them with commonly-used measures of balance, balance confidence and physical activity, and examining their ability to discriminate between groups with respect to falls and fall risk., Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data from 79 adults (mean age 68.7±10.57 years). Pearson correlation coefficients were used to examine the relationships between each BESTest measure and the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale, the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), the Timed Up and Go (TUG) and the Single Leg Stance (SLS) test. Independent t-tests were used to examine differences in balance between fallers (≥1 fall in previous year) and non-fallers and individuals classified at low versus high fall risk using the Elderly Falls Screening Test (EFST)., Results: The BESTest measures showed moderate associations with the ABC scale and TUG (r=0.62-0.67 and -0.60 to -0.68 respectively), fair associations (r=0.33-0.40) with the PASE and moderate to high associations (r=0.67-0.77) with the SLS. Fallers showed a trend (p=0.054) for lower scores on the original BESTest, and people at high risk for falls had significantly lower scores on all BESTest versions., Conclusions: These findings support the construct validity of the BESTest, mini-BESTest and briefBESTest in adults over 50 years old., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

There is increasing interest in the use of telemedicine to assist in the management of chronic diseases. Telemedicine possibilities for patients with COPD include medical consultations, in-home patient monitoring, and remote rehabilitation. Teleconsultations have been used successfully, saving time and travel costs for patients with only a few subsequently requiring face-to-face visits. Despite many reports, the impact of telemonitoring on the detection of exacerbations, reductions in health-care utilization, and cost savings is equivocal. Given the health-care costs and commitment involved in telemonitoring, well-designed longer-term multicenter studies with appropriate follow-up are required prior to its more widespread application. Emerging evidence from preliminary trials of telerehabilitation for the pulmonary patient is encouraging. It may represent a useful tool for increasing access and building capacity, especially in remote areas.

Background: Balance is a composite ability requiring the integration of multiple systems. The Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest) and 2 abbreviated versions (the Mini-BESTest and the Brief-BESTest) are balance assessment tools that target these systems. To date, no normative data exist for any version of the BESTest., Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the age-related normative scores on the BESTest, Mini-BESTest, and Brief-BESTest for Canadians who are healthy and 50 to 89 years of age., Design: A cross-sectional study design was used., Methods: Seventy-nine adults who were healthy and aged 50 to 89 years (mean age=68.9 years; 50.6% women) participated. Normative scores were reported by age decade., Results: Mean BESTest scores were 95.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]=94.4-97.1) for adults who were aged 50 to 59 years, 91.4 (95% CI=89.8-93.0) for those who were aged 60 to 69 years, 85.4 (95% CI=82.5-88.2) for those who were aged 70 to 79 years, and 79.4 (95% CI=74.3-84.5) for those who were aged 80 to 89 years. Similar results were obtained for the Mini-BESTest and the Brief-BESTest, and all 3 tests showed statistically significant differences in scores among the age cohorts., Limitations: Because only adults who were 50 to 89 years of age were tested, there are still no normative data for people outside this age range. Also, the scores presented may not be generalizable to all countries., Conclusions: These normative data enhance the clinical utility of the BESTest, Mini-BESTest, and Brief-BESTest by providing clinicians with reference points to guide treatment.

Objectives: To describe within-subject effects of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) on balance in persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to determine whether any observed changes in balance were associated with change in exercise tolerance or health-related quality of life., Design: Single-arm longitudinal study., Setting: Inpatient PR center., Participants: Subjects with COPD (N=29; mean +/- SD age, 69.8+/-10.3y; forced expiratory volume in 1 second, 46.3%+/-22.3% predicted; 59% men [n=17])., Interventions: A standardized 6-week multidisciplinary PR program (exercise training, breathing exercises, education, and psychologic support)., Main Outcome Measures: Balance was assessed using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale. Exercise tolerance was determined from the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and health-related quality of life from the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ)., Results: Subjects showed small improvements in BBS (2.8+/-2.8 points; P<.001) and TUG (-1.5+/-2.4s; P=.003) scores, but not in ABC scores (4.8+/-15.4 points; P>.05). There was a weak relationship between change in BBS and change in CRQ scores (r=.40; P=.045) and no relationship with change in 6MWT., Conclusions: PR contributed to minor improvements in balance and had no effect on balance confidence in subjects with COPD. Further work is warranted to determine the optimal intervention for improving balance in this population.