Comparison of a self-reported and a performance-based assessment of mobility in the Hispanic Established Population for Epidemiological Studies of the Elderly

In this study, the authors employ data from the Hispanic Established Population for Epidemiological Studies of the Elderly to examine the concordance between a self-reported measure of the ability to walk across a small room and a performance-based assessment of the respondent's ability to perform the same task. The data reveal that although these two ways of assessing this particular aspect of functional capacity are roughly concordant, other psychological and social factors affect self-reports independent of actual physical ability. A large proportion of individuals who are unable to complete the performance-based task report that they are mobile. The analysis indicates that performance-based measures are better predictors of mortality than self-assessments, but when viewed in terms of the disablement process, it is clear that performance-based and self-reported measures tap something different. The authors conclude that each type of measure conveys useful information about functioning in complex daily environments.