Detecting inactivity in aging populations: the discriminative potential of the physical activity scale for the elderly.

Background: Physical inactivity is a major global public health issue and ranks as the fourth leading modifiable risk factor for mortality from noncommunicable diseases and a major cause of disability. One of the questionnaires used to assess levels of physical activity in older adults is the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE). The aim of this study was to determine the cut-off value of the PASE for physical inactivity in older adults.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. The study was conducted at Hacettepe University. In the course of the study, 420 older adults were included on the basis of the established inclusion criteria. Of these, 394 voluntarily agreed to participate. Older adults' physical activity levels were assessed via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-Short Form) and the PASE. Participants categorized as low/inactive according to the IPAQ scale were classified as physically inactive. Conversely, those categorized as moderate or high activity were classified as physically active. This classification scheme was subsequently utilized to determine the physical inactivity threshold of the PASE.

Results: The physical inactivity cut-off point for the PASE score in older adults was a score of 67. For identifying physical inactivity, a PASE score of ≤ 67 has a sensitivity of 0.76 and a specificity of 0.61. Among the 394 older adults who participated in the study, 163 were in the inactive group, and 231 were in the active group. The prevalence of physical inactivity was 41.37% in this study.

Conclusions: In the present study, the PASE was found to have moderate sensitivity and specificity in discriminating physical inactivity. It is not a sufficient stand-alone measure for physical inactivity, so it is recommended that the PASE be included as part of a comprehensive physical inactivity assessment in older adults.