Concurrent validity of two measures of activity in Alzheimer's patients: actigraphy vs. activity scale

Abstract

Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD) are clearly age-related and are the most common forms of dementia in the elderly. Behavioral changes and disrupted sleep-wake patterns are part of the symptomatology associated with Alzheimer's disease. Valid instruments are crucial for monitoring those changes associated with ADRD which are amenable to nursing intervention, thereby providing a means of evaluating potential interventions. The purpose of this study was to assess the concurrent validity of two methods of quantifying activity in institutionalized Alzheimer's patients: actigraphy and the Sleep/Rest/ Activity Scale (SRAS) (Crosby, 1993). Though both instruments were shown to be valid, the lack of a stronger correlation than that obtained (r = .3890, p < .001) suggests that the instruments were monitoring different aspects of the construct of activity. The actigraph quantified physical movement while the Sleep/Rest/ Activity Scale quantified more global behavior. The SRAS was deemed to be more useful for nursing's monitoring of intervention efficacy.