Resumen de Design and Validation of a Radio‐Frequency Identification‐Based Device for Routinely Assessing Gait Speed in a Geriatrics Clinic
Lisa C. Barry, Laura Hatchman, Zhaoyan Fan, Jack M. Guralnik, Robert X. Gao, George A. Kuchel
Objectives To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and validity of a radio‐frequency identification (RFID)‐based system to measure gait speed in a clinical setting as a first step to using unobtrusive gait speed assessment in routine clinical care.
Design Feasibility study comparing gait speed assessed using an RFID‐based system with gait speed assessed using handheld stopwatch, the criterion standard.
Setting Outpatient geriatrics clinic at a Connecticut‐based academic medical center.
Participants Clinic attendees who could walk independently with or without an assistive device (N=50) and healthcare providers (N=9).
Measurements Gait speed was measured in twice using 2 methods each time before participants entered an examination room. Participants walked at their usual pace while gait speed was recorded simultaneously using the RFID‐based system and a handheld stopwatch operated by a trained study investigator. After 2 trials, participants completed a brief survey regarding their experience. At the end of the study period, clinic healthcare providers completed a separate survey.
Results Test‐retest reliability of the RFID‐based system was high (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.953). The mean difference ± standard deviation in gait speed between the RFID‐based system and the stopwatch was –0.003±0.035 m/s (p=.53) and did not differ significantly according to age, sex, or use of an assistive walking aid. Acceptability of the device was high, and 8 of 9 providers indicated that measuring gait speed using the RFID‐based system should be a part of routine clinical care.
Conclusion RFID technology may offer a practical means of overcoming barriers to routine measurement of gait speed in real‐world outpatient clinical settings.
