Cross-cultural modifications and measurement properties of the CHAMPS questionnaire among Chinese older adults

Background/objective: The Community Health Activities Model Program for Seniors questionnaires (CHAMPS-Q) is one of the most extensively used instruments in assessing physical activity among older adults. However, no study had translated the CHAMPS-Q into Chinese, and no evaluations were made on the psychometric properties of the CHAMPS-Q among the Chinese population. Considering cultural differences in perceptions of language, cultural context and living habits, this study was of necessary to 1) translate and cross-culturally adapt the original CHAMPS-Q, and 2) examine the test-retest reliability and construct/predictive validity of the Chinese version of the CHAMPS-Q.

Methods: The English CHAMPS-Q was first translated into Chinese, synthesized, back-translated, and revised by an expert committee according to the pre-test results. The Chinese CHAMPS-Q was then assessed in a cross-sectional study consisting of 101 apparently healthy older adults. Test-retest reliability test was conducted with 7 days apart. The construct validity of the Chinese CHAMPS-Q was tested against accelerometer data, and the predictive validity was assessed against physical fitness as measured by the Senior Fitness Test.

Results: The Chinese CHAMPS-Q has moderate to excellent test-retest reliability ( ICC = 0.72-.96, p < .05). Energy expenditure and duration in PA significantly correlated with all accelerometry outcomes ( ρ = 0.22-.31, p < .05). All the outcomes from the CHAMPS-Q showed significant correlations with upper body muscle strength ( ρ = 0.22-.34, p < .05).

Conclusion: The Chinese CHAMPS-Q has excellent test-retest reliability and acceptable construct and predictive validity in assessing the physical activity of Chinese older adults.