ACTA FAC MED NAISS 2020;37(6):160-170

Original article

 

UDC: 616 036.8 053.9(55)

DOI: 10.5937/afmnai2002160H

 

Validity and Reliability of Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI)

among Iranian Community-Dwelling Older Adults

 

 

Raziye Sadat Hosseini1, Yadollah Abolfathi Momtaz2,3,

Farahnaz Mohammadi Shahboulaghi2, Masoome Alijanpour Aghamaleki4

 

¹Nursing Care Research Center, School of Nursing And Midwifery, I. R.Iran

University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, I. R.Iran

2Iranian Research Center on Aging, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, I. R.Iran

3Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing (MyAgeing), Universiti Putra, Malaysia

4PhD Student of Reproduction Health, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, I. R.Iran

 

 

SUMMARY

 

                Comorbidity Index (CCI) is a simple method for the demonstration of comorbidity burden. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the CCI among Iranian community-dwelling older adults.

                This cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 600 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years and over in Tehran, Iran, 2017. A multistage clustered random sampling method was employed to obtain the sample. The CCI consisted of 17 categories of diseases, as a means of measuring one-year illness risks and their burden. The criterion validity was assessed with Self-Rated Health (SRH) and Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale. To test the validity and reliability of the CCI, Spearman's rho correlation and the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) were applied using SPSS version 23 software, respectively.

                Out of 600 respondents, 64.0% were female. The sample mean age was 76.82 (SD = 7.45) years, and nearly 63% were married. The results of criterion validity using multiple linear regression analysis showed that the CCI was significantly predicted by SRH (Beta = -0.26, p < 0.001) and ADL (Beta = -0.17, p < 0.001). Additionally, the reliability of the CCI, using the Intra-class Coefficient Correlation, was found to be 0.77; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.87.

                As the results showed a good level of validity and reliability of the CCI, its use is therefore suggested in health surveys among Iranian community-dwelling older adults.

 

Key words: Charlson Comorbidity Index, criterion validity, reliability, community-dwelling older adults, Iran