The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Jul 2001
Comparative StudyTrunk sway measures of postural stability during clinical balance tests: effects of age.
The major disadvantage of current clinical tests that screen for balance disorders is a reliance on an examiner's subjective assessment of equilibrium control. To overcome this disadvantage we investigated, using quantified measures of trunk sway, age-related differences of normal subjects for commonly used clinical balance tests. ⋯ Accurate measurement of trunk angular sway during stance and gait tasks provides a simple way of reliably measuring changes in balance stability with age and could prove useful when screening for balance disorders of those prone to fall.
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Jul 2001
Accuracy and bias of licensed practical nurse and nursing assistant ratings of nursing home residents' pain.
This study evaluated the accuracy of licensed practical nurses' (LPN) and nursing assistants' (NA) Minimum Data Set (MDS) pain ratings of nursing home residents and evaluated the bias in pain ratings associated with residents' race, gender, mental status, function, depression, or disruptive behavior. ⋯ Results documented that (i) LPNs and NAs underestimated residents' pain frequency and pain intensity, (ii) NAs were more accurate than LPNs for pain intensity, and (iii) resident characteristics did not bias LPN or NA pain ratings.