Citation

Keskinen KE, Rantakokko M, Suomi K, Rantanen T, Portegijs E. J. Aging Health 2018; ePub(ePub): 898264318820448.

Affiliation

Gerontology Research Center, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0898264318820448

PMID

30587067

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to study the associations of objectively defined hilliness with the prevalence and incidence of walking difficulties among community-dwelling older adults, and to explore whether behavioral, health, or socioeconomic factors would fully or partially explain these associations.

METHOD: Baseline interviews ( n = 848, 75-90 years) on difficulties in walking 500 m, frequency of moving through the neighborhood, and perceived hilliness as a barrier to outdoor mobility were conducted. Two-year follow-up interviews ( n = 551) on difficulties in walking 500 m were conducted among participants without baseline walking difficulties. Hilliness objectively defined as the mean slope in 500-m road network.

RESULTS: Logistic regression showed that hilliness was associated with incident walking difficulties at the 2-year follow-up (odds ratio [OR] = 1.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.09, 2.51]) but not with the prevalence of walking difficulties at baseline. Adding behavioral, health, or socioeconomic factors to the models did not markedly change the results.

DISCUSSION: Greater hilliness should be considered a risk factor for developing walking difficulties among older adults.

Language: en

Keywords

GIS; aging; mobility limitation; neighborhood; slope