Validation of an Adapted Questionnaire for Outdoor Walking Among Older Adults: The CHAMPS-OUTDOORS

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the construct and known-groups validity of the total score of five items adapted from the Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS) questionnaire to measure outdoor walking (CHAMPS-OUTDOORS) in older adults. Data from the baseline assessment of the Getting Older Adult OUTdoors (GO-OUT) trial were used. Construct validity of the CHAMPS-OUTDOORS used objective measures of outdoor walking (accelerometry-GPS), Ambulatory Self-Confidence Questionnaire, RAND-36, 6-min walk test, 10-m walk test, and Mini-Balance Evaluation System Test. For known-groups validity, we compared the CHAMPS-OUTDOORS of those who walked < or ≥1.2 m/s. Sixty-five participants had an average age of 76.5 ± 7.8 years. The CHAMPS-OUTDOORS was moderately correlated with total outdoor walking time (r = .33) and outdoor steps (r = .33) per week measured by accelerometry-GPS, and weakly correlated with Mini-Balance Evaluation System Test score (r = .27). The CHAMPS-OUTDOORS did not distinguish known groups based on crosswalk speed (p = .33). The CHAMPS-OUTDOORS may be used to assess outdoor walking in the absence of accelerometry GPS. Further research examining reliability is needed.

Keywords: ambulation; community survey; older adults; psychometrics.