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Development of a screening tool for risk of locomotive syndrome in the elderly: the 25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Orthopaedic Science

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the reliability and validity of a new questionnaire, the 25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS-25), for early detection of locomotive syndrome.

Methods

This new screening tool was designed to detect Japanese individuals under high-risk conditions who may soon require care services because of problems of the locomotive organs. Content validity, construct validity, criterion validity, internal-consistency reliability, and reproducibility (test-retest reliability) were examined using psychometric analysis, and a cutoff score to detect locomotive syndrome was determined. To investigate construct validity of the GLFS-25 and determine the cutoff score, the Akaike Information Criteria (AIC) were used.

Results

Study 1 analyzed 711 Japanese elderly people ≥65 years old. No floor or ceiling effects were included in the GLFS-25. Internal consistency was confirmed by a Cronbach’s α reliability coefficient of 0.961. As for the association between the GLFS-25 and European Quality of Life Scale-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), Spearman’s correlation coefficient was 0.85 (P < 0.001), showing excellent concurrent validity of the GLFS-25. Categorical principal component analysis showed that the construct structure consisted of one item cluster or the GLFS-25 was unifactorial. The AIC showed that one cluster of seven items was located in the center, with significant associations with the other five clusters. In study 2, 205 individuals were analyzed, and the test-retest interclass correlation was satisfactory (range 0.712–0.924). The cutoff score for identifying locomotive syndrome was set at 16. Validity and reliability of this new measurement were psychometrically confirmed as sufficient.

Conclusions

The GLFS-25 offers a valid and reliable questionnaire scale for detecting locomotive syndrome in elderly Japanese individuals.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Kozo Nakamura, Hiromoto Itoh, Keiji Fujino, Noriko Yoshimura, and Kunihiko Hayashi for their advice, and Sachiko Kurokawa for her secretarial work. This study was conducted with the support of the Japanese Clinical Orthopaedic Association. We are also grateful to all of the orthopedic surgeons, their staff members, and those who willingly participated in this study (49 study sites): Matsuzaki Orthopaedics, Yamashita Orthopaedic Clinic, Nasu Orthopaedic Clinic, Hyakutake Orthopaedic Hospital, Morishita Orthopaedic and Rheumatism Clinic, Mori Orthopaedics, Nakagaki Orthopaedics, Takaoka Clinic, Tatsuya Orthopaedic Clinic, Shimizu Orthopaedic Clinic, Mistukaichi Orthopaedics, Nagakura Orthopaedics, Himeno Hospital, Cosmopia Kumamoto Institution for the Elderly, Mukaiyama Clinic, Yoro Orthopaedics, Idota Orthopaedics, Kiyoshi Orthopaedics, Kumamoto Kino Hospital, Sakata Orthopaedics, Minamiakita Orthopaedics, Aomori Jikeikai Hospital, Oyumino Orthopaedic Clinic, Tanikake Hatano Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Clinic, Matsuo Orthopaedics, Konagai Orthopaedics, Suzuki Orthopaedics, Sugiyama Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Clinic, Hirose Orthopaedics, Nozomi Orthopaedics, Mizoguchi Orthopaedics, Shiba Orthopaedics, Morifuku Orthopaedics, Yoshimura Orthopaedics, Tomono Orthopaedic Clinic, Horii Orthopaedics, Matsuki Orthopaedics, Yamanaka Orthopaedics, Mochizuki Orthopaedics, Oya Orthopaedic Clinic, Miyake Orthopaedics, Koganei Chuo Hospital, Shimotsuga General Hospital, Haga Red Cross Hospital, Imaichi Hospital, Sano Clinic, and Shiobara National Towa Clinic, Saigo Hospital. This work was supported by a Health Labor Sciences Research Grant

Conflict of interest

No benefits in any form have been or will be received from any commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan

    Atsushi Seichi & Yuichi Hoshino

  2. Fukuoka Clinic, Tokyo, Japan

    Tokuhide Doi

  3. National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, Tokorozawa, Japan

    Masami Akai, Yoshiko Tobimatsu & Tsutomu Iwaya

Authors
  1. Atsushi Seichi
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  2. Yuichi Hoshino
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  3. Tokuhide Doi
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  4. Masami Akai
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  5. Yoshiko Tobimatsu
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  6. Tsutomu Iwaya
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Atsushi Seichi.

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Seichi, A., Hoshino, Y., Doi, T. et al. Development of a screening tool for risk of locomotive syndrome in the elderly: the 25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale. J Orthop Sci 17, 163–172 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00776-011-0193-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00776-011-0193-5

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