Diogo Menezes, M.S., Luís Laranjo, M.S., José Marmeleira, Ph.D.
Disability and Health Journal, January 2017, Volume 10, Issue 1, Pages 33–38
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2016.06.005
Background
To implement appropriate programs for promoting physical activity (PA) in people who are Deaf, it is important to have valid instruments for assessing PA in this population.
Objective
The main purpose of this study was to examine the criterion validity of the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-S) in Deaf adults.
Method
This study included 44 adults (18–65 years) of both genders (63.6% were females) who met the inclusion criteria. Objective measures of PA were collected using accelerometers, which were worn by each participant during one week. After using the accelerometer, the IPAQ-S was applied to assess participants’ physical activity during the last 7 days.
Results
There was no significant correlation between the average time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) as measured by the accelerometer (40.1 ± 24.5 min/day) and by the IPAQ-S (41.3 ± 57.5 min/day). The IPAQ-S significantly underestimated the time spent in sedentary behavior (7.6 ± 2.7 h/day vs. 10.1 ± 1.6 h/day). Sedentary behavior and MVPA as measured by the accelerometer and the IPAQ-S showed limited agreement.
Conclusions
Our results show some limitations on the use of IPAQ-S for quantifying PA among adults who are Deaf. The IPAQ-S tends to overestimate the MVPA and to underestimate sedentary behavior in adults who are Deaf.