ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate a characteristics of short physical performance battery (SPPB) in some Korean rural community and to obtain a preliminary data of SPPB in Korea. METHOD: A total of 488 persons aged 22 to 82 with no disability, interviewed and administered a SPPB and a balance test using Mediance(R). Subjects were divided into 3 groups with high (less than 6 points), medium (7 to 9 points) and low (10 to 12 points) risk groups according to SPPB score. Lower extremity performance was measured using SPPB including assessment of standing balance, a timed 4-m walk, and timed test of rising 5 times from a chair. Chronic condition were ascertained as self-report of past disease history. The relationship between general characteristics of subjects, self-report of past history of disease, limb load asymmetry, postural sway and SPPB score were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: In a multivariate analysis, older age, lower educational background and high body fat mass were associated independently with poor performance. In a multivariateanalysis of subjects aged 60 or older, older age, lower educational background and history of hypertension were associated independently with poor performance. CONCLUSION: These findings should be considered in planning specially tailored intervention for disability prevention in this subgroups. And this study provides the preliminary evidence that a SPPB is a useful tool in evaluating Korean elderly who are not disabled but have poor lower extremity performance.