Abstract
BackgroundLife-space mobility is reflected in comprehensive longevity and health outcomes and is also an important indicator for preventing mortality and decline in well-being among older people. However, a comprehensive framework of life-space mobility and modifiable individual and environmental factors has not been well validated among community-dwelling independent older people, for primary prevention. We examined individual and environmental factors affecting life-space mobility among community-dwelling independent older people.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 3500 community-dwelling independent older people randomly selected using the National Basic Resident Registration System in Japan. Life-space mobility was measured using the Japanese version of the Life-Space Assessment (LSA) instrument, which is used to assess an individual’s pattern of mobility. Negative multivariate binomial regression analysis was performed in a final sample of 1258 people. Individual factors (including physical, mental, and social characteristics) and environmental factors (including the social and material environment) were measured and analyzed as potential factors.ResultsNegative multivariable binomial regression analysis, adjusted for demographics, showed that LSA score was associated with locomotive syndrome (β = − 0.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] = − 0.24 to − 0.73), depression (β = − 0.29, 95% CI = − 0.03 to − 0.55), health literacy (β = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.39–0.01), and participation in community activities (β = 0.23, 95% CI = 0.03–0.43) among individual factors, and receipt of social support (β = − 0.19, 95% CI = 0.00 to − 0.38) and social network (β = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.48–0.10) among environmental factors.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that modifiable individual factors and environmental factors are related to life-space mobility among community-dwelling older people.
Highlights
Life-space mobility is reflected in comprehensive longevity and health outcomes and is an important indicator for preventing mortality and declines in well-being among older people
To ensure representativeness of community-dwelling independent older people, 3500 individuals were randomly selected among “communitydwelling” “independent” “older” people certified in Yokohama City, the largest designated city in Japan according to the National Basic Resident Registration System administered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan
Based on the above and previous references [26, 28, 33], we considered that three categories could help to guide the design of key preventive strategies for maintaining or expanding life-space mobility among community-dwelling independent older people
Summary
Life-space mobility is reflected in comprehensive longevity and health outcomes and is an important indicator for preventing mortality and decline in well-being among older people. A comprehensive framework of life-space mobility and modifiable individual and environmental factors has not been well validated among community-dwelling independent older people, for primary prevention. We examined individual and environmental factors affecting life-space mobility among community-dwelling independent older people. Life-space mobility is reflected in comprehensive longevity and health outcomes and is an important indicator for preventing mortality and declines in well-being among older people. Independent, community-dwelling older people have shown that lifespace mobility, including related indicators such as frequencies of going outside and being homebound, is associated with various individual and environmental factors. Environmental factors include perceived entrance-related barriers [25], access to social services [26], social support and social assistance [11, 12, 14, 15], neighborhood green space [27], and environmental facilitators [28]
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