Jc. Turnbull et al., Validation of the Frenchay activities index in a general population aged 16 years and older, ARCH PHYS M, 81(8), 2000, pp. 1034-1038
Objectives: To assess the validity and reliability of the Frenchay Activiti
es Index (FAI) and to establish age and sex norms in people at or over the
age of 16 years.
Design and Setting: Postal questionnaire survey to 1280 people randomly sel
ected from 8 Health Authority patient registers in England.
Main Outcome Measures: FAI scores, subscale scores by age and sex, health-s
tatus, perceived level of activity, and subjects' opinions on how well the
FAT reflected their activities. Test-retest reliability was measured in 1 H
ealth Authority.
Results: The response rate was 49%. Men scored lower than women overall and
on the domestic activities subscale. Respondents between the ages of 16 an
d 24 years and those over 85 years had the lowest FAI scores. FAI scores we
re related to self-reported health status, self-reported levels of activity
, and presence of long-standing illness/disability. The FAI has high test-r
etest reliability. Qualitative data suggested that items such as sport, phy
sical exercise, and caring for children should be included to make the FAI
suitable for a wider age range.
Conclusion: The FAT has good construct validity, particularly in middle-age
d and elderly people, and is reliable. For the FAI to be valid in nonstroke
populations, items specific to younger people must be incorporated into it
. We have established preliminary age and sex norms that should be interpre
ted with caution, given the low response rate.