Background: It is difficult to assess whether community-dwelling frail older adults may remain pre-frail status or improve into a robust state without being directly checked by health care professionals. The health information perceived by older adults is considered to be one of best sources of potential concerns in older adult population. An online measurement system combined with item response theory (IRT) and computer adaptive testing (CAT) methods is likely to become a realistic approach to remotely monitor physical activity status of frail older adults. Objects: This article suggests an approach to provide a precise and efficient means of measuring physical activity levels of community-dwelling frail older adults. Methods: Article reviews were reviewed and summarized. Results: In comparison to the classical test theory (CTT), the IRT method is empirically aimed to focus on the psychometric properties of individual test items in lieu of the test as a whole. These properties allow creating a large item pool that can capture the broad range of physical activity levels. The CAT method administers test items by an algorithm that select items matched to the physical activity levels of the older adults. Conclusion: An online measurement system combined with these two methods would allow adequate physical activity measurement that may be useful to remotely monitor the activity level of community-dwelling frail older adults.

The aim of the present study was to compare measurement precisions of the Oswestry Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (ODQ) and a computer adaptive testing (CAT) method. The ODQ has been regarded as one of the most reliable condition-specific measure for back pain for decades. Cross-sectional study was carried out with two independent convenient samples from two out-patient rehabilitation clinics for back pain (n1=42) and non-back pain group (n2=42). Participants were asked to fill out the ODQ and CAT of International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-Activity Measure (ICF-AM). A series of Rasch analyses were performed to calculate person ability measures. The CAT measures had greater relative precision in discriminating the groups than did the ODQ measure in comparisons of the relative precision. The CAT measure appears to be more effective than did the ODQ measure in terms of measurement precision. By administering test items calibrated in a way, CAT measures using item response theory may promise a means with measurement precision as well as efficiency.

The purposes of this study were: 1) to show the item difficulty hierarchy of walking/moving construct of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-Activity Measure (ICF-AM), 2) to evaluate the item-level psychometrics for model fit, 3) to describe the relevant physical activity defined by level of activity intensity expressed as Metabolic Equivalent of Tasks (MET), and 4) to explore what extent the empirical activity hierarchy of the ICF-AM is linked to the conceptual model based on the level of energy expenditure described as MET. One hundred and eight participants with lower extremity impairments were examined for the present study. A newly created activity measure, the ICF-AM using an item response theory (IRT) model and computer adaptive testing (CAT) method, has a construct on walking/moving construct. Based on the ICF category of walking and moving, the instrument comprised items corresponding t walking short distances, walking long distances, walking on different surfaces, walking around objects, climbing, and running. The item difficulty hierarchy was created using Winstep software for 20 items. The Rasch analyses (1-parameter IRT model) were performed on participants with lower extremity injuries who completed the paper and pencil version of walking/moving construct of the ICF-AM. The classification of physical activity can also be performed by the use of METs that is often preferred to determine the level of physical activity. The empirical item hierarchy of walking, climbing, running activities of the ICF-AM instrument was similar to the conceptual activity hierarchy based on the METs. The empirically derived item difficulty hierarchy of the ICF-AM may be useful in developing MET-based activity measure questionnaires. In addition to convenience of applying items to questionnaires, implications of the finding could lead to the use of CAT method without sacrificing the objectivity of physiologic measures.

Most conventional instruments measuring disability rely on total score by simply adding individual item responses, which is dependent on the items chosen to represent the underlying construct (test-dependent) and a test statistic, such as coefficient alpha for the estimate of reliability, varying from sample to sample (sample-dependent). By contrast, item response theory (IRT) method focuses on the psychometric properties of the test items instead of the instrument as a whole. By estimating probability that a respondent will select a particular rating for an item, item difficulty and person ability (or disability) can be placed on same linear continuum. These estimates are invariant regardless of the item used (test-free measurement) and the ability of sample applied (sample-free measurement). These advantages of IRT allow the creation of invariantly calibrated large item banks that precisely discriminate the disability levels of individuals. Computer adaptive testing (CAT) method often requiring a testing algorithm promise a means for administering items in a way that is both efficient and precise. This method permits selectively administering items that are closely matched to the ability level of individuals (measurement precision) and measuring the ability without the loss of precision provided by the full item bank (measurement efficiency). These measurement properties can reasonably be achieved using IRT and CAT method. This article aims to investigate comprehensive overview of the existing disability instrument for back pain and to inform physical therapists of an alternative innovative way overcoming the shortcomings of conventional disability instruments. An understanding of IRT and CAT method will equip physical therapist with skills in interpreting the measurement properties of disability instruments developed using the methods.