Date Presented 04/03/2025
The Perceived Accessibility of Living Environment and Services (PALES) questionnaire addresses environments near the respondent’s home. This study showed that the PALES questionnaire has good validity and reliability for evaluating immediate outdoor neighborhoods.
Primary Author and Speaker: Orit Segev-Jacubovski
BACKGROUND: The environment influences participation in daily life activities, especially for older adults with limited capabilities and people with disabilities. The Perceived Accessibility of Living Environment and Services questionnaire (PALES) addresses environments near the respondent’s home. The aim of this study was to examine the PALES’s content, construct, criterion validity, and test-retest reliability. The PALES relates to the environment nearest the respondent’s home, meaning the public space between where the respondent leaves their private residence and where they arrive at a public service. It includes nine items about elevators or stairs in the private residence, driveways to the residence, sidewalks near the residence, terrain that inclines or descends, lighting, signage, service diversity, and the number of services within walking distance or a short drive.
METHOD: Seven experts were obtained to evaluate content validity, and secondary data from 495 (> 60 years) older adults were used for other measures. Construct validity was examined via correlations with WHOQOL-BREF domains, and differences between older adults with and without disabilities. Criterion validity was assessed by correlations between respondents’ and external assistant’s answers. Two rounds with a 30-person sample were used to examine test-retest reliability.
RESULTS: High test-retest reliability, criterion validity and good content validity were found. Convergent (moderate correlations between the PALES and the WHOQOL-BREF environmental (r = .46) and physical health (r = .31) domains) and discriminant (low correlation between the PALES and the psychological health and social relationships domains) validity were found.
CONCLUSIONS: The PALES showed good validity and reliability for evaluating immediate outdoor neighborhoods. environments. The PALES questionnaire is suitable for occupational therapists to evaluate environmental barriers influencing neighborhood accessibility.
References
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Segev-Jacubovski, O., & Shapiro, E. (2022). Role of participation in activities and perceived accessibility on quality of life among nondisabled older adults and those with disabilities in Israel during COVID-19. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(10), Article 5878. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19105878
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