Task-Specific Fatigue Among Older Primary Care Patients. (March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Romine, Perrin E.; Kiely, Dan K.; Holt, Nicole; Percac-Lima, Sanja; Leveille, Suzanne; Bean, Jonathan F.
• Is Part Of: Journal of aging and health. Volume 29:Number 2(2017:Mar.)
• Page Start: 310
• Page End: 323
• Publication Date: 2017-03
• Subjects: fatigue -- mobility -- aged -- task performance; Older people -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; 618.97
• DOI: 10.1177/0898264316635567
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0898-2643

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.