P. Barbergergateau et al., ASSESSMENT OF DISABILITY AND HANDICAP ASSOCIATED WITH DYSPNEA IN ELDERLY SUBJECTS, Disability and rehabilitation, 17(2), 1995, pp. 83-89
In a sample of 2792 community dwellers, aged 65 and over, randomly sel
ected in an administrative area of southwestern France, eight items of
the functional assessment scales had an independent association with
dyspnoea, adjusting for age, visual or hearing impairments, depressive
symptomatology, and cognitive impairment. These eight items included:
two activities of daily living (dressing and continence), two instrum
ental activities of daily living (shopping and use of transportation),
three Rosow items (walking half a mile, climbing stairs, and doing he
avy housework), and a mobility scale. Disability increased with breath
lessness grade in each of these items, but with different patterns, su
ggesting a hierarchical relationship between some Rosow, IADL and ADL
items for the association of dyspnoea with disability.