Validation of the Falls Efficacy Scale - International in a sample of Portuguese elderly.

Objective: to translate and adapt Falls Efficacy Scale - International (FES-I). To analyze the psychometric properties of the FES-I Portugal version.

Method: psychometric study. Sample consisting of 170 elderly people residing in the Autonomous Region of Madeira. A two- part form was used (sociodemographic characterization and FES-I Portugal). The cross-cultural adaptation was performed and the following psychometric properties were evaluated: validity (construct, predictive, and discriminant), reliability (Cronbach's alpha), and inter-rater reliability.

Results: the results allow us to verify a dimension of less demanding physical activities and another of more demanding physical activities. The inter-rater reliability study was 0.62, with an interclass correlation coefficient of 0.859, for a 95% confidence interval. The internal consistency of the Portuguese version was 0.962.

Conclusion: the validity and reliability of the FES-I Portugal are consistent with the original version and proved to be appropriate instruments for evaluating the "impaired walking" and "risk of falls" nursing diagnoses in the older people.