Self-Reported Questionnaire of Functional Health of Home-Dwelling Elderly People Living in Austria: Based on the Patient Questionnaire of the Standardized Assessment of Elderly People in Primary Care.

AIM

The aim was to review the construct validity and reliability of a functional health assessment questionnaire (Questionnaire on Functional Health 2 [Q-FH2]).

METHODS

The Q-FH2 was used to assess 344 elderly people in a home setting. A polychoric correlation matrix was applied to conduct a principal axis factor analysis with oblique rotation. The number of factors was determined using various procedures and calculated using theta coefficients to estimate ordinal reliability.

RESULTS

The exploratory factor analysis supported a 4-factor solution with an explained total variance of 82%. The internal consistency showed  coefficients ranging from 0.758 to 0.854.

CONCLUSION

The Q-FH2 appears to be a useful instrument to assess the multidimensionality of functional health as defined by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health to determine the resources and deficits regarding the independent living of older adults and to derive appropriate consulting measures.