Psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 (VES-13)

This study aims to assess the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 (VES-13). Interviews were carried out with individuals aged 60 years and over receiving care at an ambulatory cancer centre. Test-retest reliability was assessed using the Spearman correlation coefficient, intraclass correlation coefficients and Cohen's kappa coefficient. Construct validity was assessed by testing convergent and discriminant validity using principal component analysis and Varimax rotation. The Spearman correlation coefficient value of the comparison between test and retest scores was 0.98 (p < 0.001). All intraclass correlation coefficient values were higher than 0.60 and kappa coefficients varied between 0.33 and 0.94. Three identified factors explained 72.6% of overall sample variance. VES-13 presented good convergent validity and reasonable discriminant validity. The psychometric properties of the adapted version of the VES-13 are consistent and adequate for use with the Brazilian population.