Abstract

Background Old age is associated with reduced physical ability. It is necessary to measure and evaluate the physical activity of older people. Implementing appropriate requires a valid and reliable tool. Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) is the frequently used self-reported physical activity assessment for older adults. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the translation validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly. Methods This study is a methodological, descriptive applied research was conducted on 300 older people. The translation process of the English version of PASE into Persian was carried out according to the process of translation and adaptation of scale recommended by the World Health Organization. The reliability of the scale was examined by calculating the Cronbach’s alpha, Pearson, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The reliability and validity of the scale were evaluated by following the “Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Status Measurement Instruments” (COSMIN) checklist. To assess the face and content validity, impact score (IS), the content validity ratio (CVR), and the content validity index (CVI) were determined. A confirmatory factor analysis was also performed. Results The experts approved the quality of the Persian version of PASE. The reliability was calculated with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.94, an ICC of 0.99, and a test-retest correlation coefficient of 0.94. The qualitative and quantitative face validity of all questions by expert judgment and IS of greater than 1.5 was considered. Also, CVR and CVI scores of all questions were higher than 0.6 and 0.79, respectively. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a good fit for the original three-factor structure. Conclusions The Persian or Farsi version of PASE was shown to have acceptable validity and reliability. This tool is suitable for measuring the physical activity level in the Persian elderly language special in clinical environments and therapeutic interventions