Measuring physical activity in a cardiac rehabilitation population using a smartphone-based questionnaire
- PMID: 23524251
- PMCID: PMC3636157
- DOI: 10.2196/jmir.2419
Measuring physical activity in a cardiac rehabilitation population using a smartphone-based questionnaire
Abstract
Background: Questionnaires are commonly used to assess physical activity in large population-based studies because of their low cost and convenience. Many self-report physical activity questionnaires have been shown to be valid and reliable measures, but they are subject to measurement errors and misreporting, often due to lengthy recall periods. Mobile phones offer a novel approach to measure self-reported physical activity on a daily basis and offer real-time data collection with the potential to enhance recall.
Objective: The aims of this study were to determine the convergent validity of a mobile phone physical activity (MobilePAL) questionnaire against accelerometry in people with cardiovascular disease (CVD), and to compare how the MobilePAL questionnaire performed compared with the commonly used self-recall International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).
Methods: Thirty adults aged 49 to 85 years with CVD were recruited from a local exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation clinic in Auckland, New Zealand. All participants completed a demographics questionnaire and underwent a 6-minute walk test at the first visit. Subsequently, participants were temporarily provided a smartphone (with the MobilePAL questionnaire preloaded that asked 2 questions daily) and an accelerometer, which was to be worn for 7 days. After 1 week, a follow-up visit was completed during which the smartphone and accelerometer were returned, and participants completed the IPAQ.
Results: Average daily physical activity level measured using the MobilePAL questionnaire showed moderate correlation (r=.45; P=.01) with daily activity counts per minute (Acc_CPM) and estimated metabolic equivalents (MET) (r=.45; P=.01) measured using the accelerometer. Both MobilePAL (beta=.42; P=.008) and age (beta=-.48, P=.002) were significantly associated with Acc_CPM (adjusted R(2)=.40). When IPAQ-derived energy expenditure, measured in MET-minutes per week (IPAQ_met), was considered in the predicted model, both IPAQ_met (beta=.51; P=.001) and age (beta=-.36; P=.016) made unique contributions (adjusted R(2)=.47, F2,27=13.58; P<.001).There was also a significant association between the MobilePAL and IPAQ measures (r=.49, beta=.51; P=.007).
Conclusions: A mobile phone-delivered questionnaire is a relatively reliable and valid measure of physical activity in a CVD cohort. Reliability and validity measures in the present study are comparable to existing self-report measures. Given their ubiquitous use, mobile phones may be an effective method for physical activity surveillance data collection.
Conflict of interest statement
Conflicts of Interest: None declared.
Figures
Similar articles
-
Measuring change in trials of physical activity interventions: a comparison of self-report questionnaire and accelerometry within the PACE-UP trial.Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2019 Jan 22;16(1):10. doi: 10.1186/s12966-018-0762-5. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2019. PMID: 30670036 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
-
Concurrent validity of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire adapted for adults aged ≥ 80 years (IPAQ-E 80 +) - tested with accelerometer data from the SilverMONICA study.Gait Posture. 2022 Feb;92:135-143. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2021.11.019. Epub 2021 Nov 22. Gait Posture. 2022. PMID: 34847411
-
Comparison of Physical Activity Adult Questionnaire results with accelerometer data.Health Rep. 2015 Jul;26(7):11-7. Health Rep. 2015. PMID: 26177042
-
Reliability and validity of two multidimensional self-reported physical activity questionnaires in people with chronic low back pain.Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2017 Feb;27:65-70. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2016.12.014. Epub 2016 Dec 26. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2017. PMID: 28637603
-
Measuring Overall Physical Activity for Cardiac Rehabilitation Participants: A Review of the Literature.Heart Lung Circ. 2017 Oct;26(10):1008-1025. doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2017.01.005. Epub 2017 Feb 16. Heart Lung Circ. 2017. PMID: 28286088 Review.
Cited by
-
Utility of a mHealth App for Self-Management and Education of Cardiac Diseases in Spanish Urban and Rural Areas.J Med Syst. 2016 Aug;40(8):186. doi: 10.1007/s10916-016-0531-4. Epub 2016 Jun 21. J Med Syst. 2016. PMID: 27329050
-
A phone and text message intervention to improve physical activity in midlife: initial feasibility testing.Health Psychol Behav Med. 2022 Mar 10;10(1):291-315. doi: 10.1080/21642850.2022.2049796. eCollection 2022. Health Psychol Behav Med. 2022. PMID: 35295924 Free PMC article.
-
Using mobile technology for cardiac rehabilitation: a review and framework for development and evaluation.J Am Heart Assoc. 2013 Nov 1;2(6):e000568. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.113.000568. J Am Heart Assoc. 2013. PMID: 24185949 Free PMC article. Review. No abstract available.
-
Comparison of self-administered survey questionnaire responses collected using mobile apps versus other methods.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Jul 27;2015(7):MR000042. doi: 10.1002/14651858.MR000042.pub2. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015. PMID: 26212714 Free PMC article.
-
Possibilities, Problems, and Perspectives of Data Collection by Mobile Apps in Longitudinal Epidemiological Studies: Scoping Review.J Med Internet Res. 2021 Jan 22;23(1):e17691. doi: 10.2196/17691. J Med Internet Res. 2021. PMID: 33480850 Free PMC article.
References
-
- O'Donovan G, Blazevich AJ, Boreham C, Cooper AR, Crank H, Ekelund U, Fox KR, Gately P, Giles-Corti B, Gill JM, Hamer M, McDermott I, Murphy M, Mutrie N, Reilly JJ, Saxton JM, Stamatakis E. The ABC of Physical Activity for Health: a consensus statement from the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences. J Sports Sci. 2010 Apr;28(6):573–91. doi: 10.1080/02640411003671212. - DOI - PubMed
-
- Bull FC, Armstrong TP, Dixon T. Physical inactivity. In: Essati M, Lopez AD, Rodgers A, Murray CJL, editors. Comparative Quantification of Health Risks Global and Regional Burden of Disease Attributable to Selected Major Risk Factors. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2004. pp. 1–881.
-
- Warburton DE, Nicol CW, Bredin SS. Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence. CMAJ. 2006 Mar 14;174(6):801–9. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.051351. http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/16534088 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Medical
Miscellaneous