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  • Title: Construction and validation of the 4-item dynamic gait index.
    Author: Marchetti GF, Whitney SL.
    Journal: Phys Ther; 2006 Dec; 86(12):1651-60. PubMed ID: 17062644.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: People with balance disorders often have difficulty walking. The purpose of this study was to develop and test the psychometric properties of a short form of the Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) for the clinical measurement of walking function in people with balance and vestibular disorders. SUBJECTS: A total of 123 subjects with such disorders (test subjects) and 103 control subjects were included in this study. METHODS: Rasch and factor analyses were used to create a short form of the DGI. Internal consistency and discriminative validity for test subjects versus control subjects and for falling versus nonfalling test subjects were evaluated. RESULTS: Four items were selected for the shorter version of the test: gait on level surfaces, changes in gait speed, and horizontal and vertical head turns. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The clinical psychometric properties of the 4-item DGI were equivalent or superior to those of the 8-item test. The 4-item DGI can be used by clinicians to measure gait in people with balance and vestibular disorders without compromising important clinical measurement characteristics.
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