Table 1.
Constructs, facets, and measurement tools in OMAHA
| Theoretical Construct and Facets | Measure | Berlin cohort | German cohort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multimorbidity | |||
| Long-standing or chronic disease | Minimum European Health Module (MEHM)[31,32] | PI | TI |
| Diseases and health problems | Closed-ended questions on medical conditions and health problems (cf. Figure 2) a | PI | TI |
| Operations | Open-ended questions for surgery since age 40, followed by closed-ended questions a | PI | TI |
| Regular medication | Closed-ended question a | PI | TI |
| Depression | Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ2/9)[33,34] | PI | TI |
| Medication | Barcode scanning and assessment of currently used medication[20] | PI | - |
| Falls | Closed-ended questions according to[35] | PI | TI |
| Fractures | List a | PI | - |
| Medical care | According to German National Health Interview and Examination Survey[30] | SQ | TI |
| Blood pressure | Blood pressure meter b | PI | - |
| Weight | Electronic scales c | PI | - |
| Height | Portable stadiometer d | PI | - |
| Circumference of waist, calf, arm | Flexible measuring tape e | PI | - |
| Quality of Life | |||
| Self-rated overall health | Minimum European Health Module (MEHM; also question 2 in SF-36)[31,32] | PI | TI |
| Global life-satisfaction | Single question a | PI | TI |
| Global life-satisfaction | Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS)[36] | PI | - |
| Global life-satisfaction | Fragebogen zur Lebensqualität multimorbider älterer Menschen (FLQM)[37] | PI | - |
| Subjective well-being | International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (IPANAS)[38,39] | PI | - |
| Comparative self-rated overall health | Closed-ended questions a | SQ | - |
| Health-related quality of life | EQ-5D[40,41] | SQ | TI |
| Subjective well-being | Vitality sub-scale of SF-36[42,43] | SQ | TI |
| Pain | Questions 7 and 8 of SF-36; adapted time-frame[42,43] | SQ | TI |
| Autonomy | |||
| Limitations due to health problem | Minimum European Health Module (MEHM)[31,32] | PI | TI |
| Need for assistance | Closed-ended questions modified from[44] | PI | TI |
| Functional health I: ADL | According to Katz[45,46] | PI | TI |
| Functional health I: IADL | According to Lawton & Brody[47,48] | PI | TI |
| Functional health II: Functional limitations | Closed-ended questions adapted from[32] | SQ | TI |
| Autonomy | Wahrgenommene Autonomie im Alter (WAA)[49] | SQ | - |
| Resources (incl. Socio-Demography) and Performance Tests | |||
| Year of birth | According to German National Health Interview and Examination Survey[30] | PI | TI |
| Gender | According to German National Health Interview and Examination Survey[30] | PI | TI |
| Marital status | According to German National Health Interview and Examination Survey[30] | PI | TI |
| Education and employment | According to German National Health Interview and Examination Survey[30] | PI | TI |
| Net household income | According to German National Health Interview and Examination Survey[30] | PI | TI |
| Household size | Closed-ended questions [24] | PI | TI |
| Number of and contact with children | Closed-ended questions[44] | PI | TI |
| Religion | Closed-ended question [50] | PI | TI |
| Migration | According to Schenk et al.[51] | PI | TI |
| Health insurance | According to German National Health Interview and Examination Survey[30] | SQ | - |
| Nursing care level | Closed-ended question a | PI | TI |
| Housing and environment | Mannheimer Inventar der Lebensverhältnisse im Alter (MILVA), subscale, housing'[52] | SQ | TI |
| Social contacts | Mannheimer Inventar der Lebensverhältnisse im Alter (MILVA), subscale, contacts'[52] | SQ | TI |
| Social support | Berliner Social Support Scales (BSSS)[53] | SQ | - |
| Nutrition | Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)[54] | PI | TI |
| Changes in height and weight | Open-ended questions a | PI | TI |
| Healthcare products | List a | PI | TI |
| Alcohol consumption | Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - alcohol consumption questions (AUDIT-C)[55,56] | SQ | TI |
| Smoking | According to German National Health Interview and Examination Survey[30] | SQ | TI |
| Medication addiction | Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS)[57,58] | SQ | - |
| Physical activity | Closed-ended questions a | SQ | TI |
| Activities | List a | SQ | - |
| Critical life-events | List following[59] | SQ | - |
| Coping | Proactive Coping Inventory PCI[15] | SQ | - |
| Cognitive function: Episodic memory | Memory Impairment Screen (MIS)[26,60,61] | PI | TI |
| Cognitive function: Verbal fluency | Verbal fluency subtest of the CERAD test battery[62,63] | PI | TI |
| Cognitive function: psychomotor speed | Digit symbol substitution test of WAIS (adapted German version from BASE)[64,65] | PI | - |
| Cognitive function: Temporal orientation | Subscale orientation of the ADAScog[26,66] | PI | TI |
| Grip Strength | Smedley dynamometer[67,68] | PI | - |
| Functional Mobility | Timed Up and Go-Test[27] | PI | - |
| Lower extremity function | Chair-Rise-Test[28] | PI | - |
| Balance | According to Guralnik[29] | PI | - |
PI = personal interview/assessment; SQ = self-complete questionnaire; TI = telephone interview
a Self-developed questionnaire.
b Datascope Accutor Plus, the Netherlands.
c SECA, Germany, accuracy of measurement 0.1 kg.
d Holtain Ltd., UK, accuracy of measurement 0.1 cm.
e Hoechstmass, Sulzbach, Germany, accuracy of measurement 0.1 cm.