Assessing the Validity of the Dynamic Gait Index in a Balance Disorders Clinic: An Application of Rasch Analysis, Dye, D. C., Eakman, A. M., & Bolton, K. M., The Journal of Physical Therapy: Vol. 93(6): June 2013: pp. 809-818.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find out if the Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) is an accurate way to measure the patient’s dizziness and posture by having them perform various exercises. The study focuses on patients with balance and posture issues. The researchers use DIG as a gauge to help measure the severity of the patient’s imbalance and postural problems. Then the researchers can determine what the patient has to improve on. The researchers use that information from the DIG, and produce guidelines for the patient’s rehabilitation program.
Method: The method of this study is to choose patients that have enough usable data from the DGI. The patients were separated into different groups: dizzy or imbalance. Both groups were evaluated by the one-parameter Rasch-Andrich rating scale. The rating scale uses the DGI data, and translates the information into measurements. The ratings and measurements help determine the patients differential item functioning (DIF), and if the patient has a possible …show more content…
The results did show that it was a suitable way to measure. However, the study had inconclusive results for the DIF. I think that if the study had a larger sample range the authors could have found valuable information regarding measuring gait abilities and clinical changes. The categories should have been more specific and aimed towards a certain type of patient they wanted to examine. The terms “balance and posture issues” is too broad of a spectrum. If it was more specific about the details of balance and posture maybe the outcome could have been more