Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Degree

Master of Science

Program

Kinesiology

Supervisor

Manuel Montero-Odasso

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to 1) determine if high gait variability is associated with frailty; 2) test the inter-rater reliability of the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and its concurrent validity against the Frailty Phenotype Index (FPI) in classifying frailty. Frailty status was determined by applying the FPI and CFS to the sample of 107 community-dwelling older adults. Inter-rater reliability of the CFS was assessed using kappa statistics. Mantel-Haenszel test for trends evaluated concurrent validity of the CFS against the FPI components. Quantitative gait variables were assessed with an electronic walkway. Multivariable linear regression analysis evaluated the outcome of gait variability across CFS levels. The CFS showed substantial reliability and was correlated with FPI components. Increased frailty status was associated with higher variability in stride length, stride width, and stride time. This study demonstrates that high gait variability is associated with frailty, as defined by the CFS.

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