Background
Methods
Participants
Measurements
Demographic characteristics
Health
Physical performance
Disability
Statistical Analysis
Results
Demographic and health characteristics
Demographic and health characteristic | Community (n = 366) | Retirement (n = 105) | test | df | p | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gender*# | n | % | n | % | |||
Female | 239 | 65.3 | 81 | 77.1 | X2 = 5.25 | 1 | 0.022 |
Age group*# | |||||||
70-74 | 134 | 36.6 | 22 | 21.0 | |||
75-79 | 115 | 31.4 | 33 | 31.4 | |||
80-84 | 82 | 22.4 | 30 | 28.6 | |||
>85 | 35 | 9.6 | 20 | 19.1 | X2 = 13.63 | 3 | 0.003 |
Marital status# | . | ||||||
Married | 182 | 50 | 41 | 39.4 | |||
Single | 15 | 4.1 | 7 | 6.7 | |||
Widowed/separated/divorced | 167 | 45.9 | 56 | 53.9 | X2 = 4.15 | 2 | 0.126 |
Lives alone*# | |||||||
Yes | 154 | 42.7 | 67 | 64.4 | X2 = 15.34 | 1 | 0.000 |
Education*# | |||||||
Primary/some secondary school | 119 | 32.8 | 49 | 47.1 | |||
Secondary | 72 | 19.8 | 20 | 19.2 | |||
Trade | 46 | 12.7 | 10 | 9.6 | |||
College/university | 126 | 34.7 | 25 | 24.0 | X2 = 8.11 | 3 | 0.044 |
SPHS# | |||||||
Very good | 179 | 50.0 | 40 | 39.2 | |||
Good | 132 | 36.9 | 48 | 47.1 | |||
Poor | 47 | 13.1 | 14 | 13.7 | X2 = 4.06 | 2 | 0.131 |
Hypertension# | |||||||
Yes | 197 | 54.6 | 54 | 51.4 | X2 = 0.32 | 1 | 0.500 |
Stroke# | |||||||
Yes | 26 | 7.1 | 8 | 7.7 | X2 = 0.36 | 1 | 0.800 |
Arthritis# | |||||||
Yes | 220 | 61.1 | 61 | 58.1 | X2 = 0.31 | 1 | 0.500 |
History of falls in past 12 months# | |||||||
Yes | 111 | 30.3 | 28 | 26.7 | X2 = 0.61 | 1 | 0.400 |
Hospital admissions in last month
| |||||||
Yes | 18 | 5.1 | 3 | 3.1 | X2 = 0.7 | 1 | 0.400 |
Prescription meds# | |||||||
Yes | 336 | 93.3 | 95 | 92.2 | X2 = 0.15 | 1 | 0.700 |
Number of community services mean(sd)*# | 0.41 | 0.7 | 0.65 | 0.9 | D = 0.144 | 0.051 | |
Height mean(sd)*# | 1.62 | 0.1 | 1.59 | 0.1 | t = 2.820 | 469 | 0.005 |
BMI mean(sd) # | 27.82 | 4.4 | 27.54 | 4.5 | t = 0.564 | 467 | 0.570 |
Number of medical conditions mean(sd) # | 2.30 | 1.4 | 2.24 | 1.4 | t = 0.366 | 469 | 0.700 |
Beck score mean(sd) # | 7.27 | 5.9 | 8.18 | 6.4 | t = -1.373 | 469 | 0.170 |
Performance measures
Functional measures & Disability Status | Community (n = 366) | Retirement (n = 105) | Difference in mean | B | p | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mean
|
SD
|
mean
|
SD
| ||||
Timed up go (sec) # | 9.4 | 2.8 | 10.1 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 0.31 | 0.299 |
Timed chair stands (sec) # | 9.6 | 5.8 | 9.3 | 3.0 | -0.3 | -0.22 | 0.766 |
6 minute walk distance (m) # | 403.1 | 95.1 | 392.8 | 87.8 | -10.3 | 1.18 | 0.908 |
Postural sway open: total sway path (mm) | 5.5 | 0.8 | 5.6 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.06 | 0.594 |
Postural sway closed: total sway path (mm) # | 6.0 | 0.9 | 6.2 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.19 | 0.060 |
Berg balance score # | 7.6 | 1.1 | 7.3 | 1.2 | -0.2 | -0.2 | 0.102 |
Step test right (steps) # | 12.1 | 3.6 | 12.0 | 3.8 | -0.2 | 0.002 | 0.996 |
Step test left (steps) | 12.4 | 3.7 | 11.7 | 3.7 | -0.7 | -0.58 | 0.170 |
Quad strength right (kg) | 20.4 | 8.8 | 17.3 | 6.8 | -3.1 | -1.06 | 0.192 |
Quad strength left (kg) * | 20.7 | 9.0 | 17.0 | 7.3 | -3.7 | -1.63 | 0.051 |
Single right leg stand (sec) *# | 16.5 | 17.9 | 9.6 | 14.2 | -6.9 | -4.58 | 0.022 |
Single left leg stand (sec) * | 15.8 | 18.7 | 10.2 | 13.4 | -5.7 | -4.18 | 0.045 |
WOMAC: | |||||||
Knee pain score # | 65.4 | 73.9 | 65.2 | 87.0 | -0.2 | -3.55 | 0.693 |
Knee stiffness score | 34.5 | 41.5 | 32.0 | 39.7 | -2.5 | -4.69 | 0.329 |
Knee function score | 283.9 | 266.9 | 286.2 | 271.2 | 2.3 | -11.47 | 0.712 |
Hip pain score # | 55.1 | 77.5 | 56.3 | 74.6 | 1.2 | -1.95 | 0.827 |
Hip stiffness score | 26.8 | 34.5 | 29.0 | 39.8 | 2.3 | 0.68 | 0.871 |
Hip function score | 241.8 | 273.4 | 249.4 | 272.8 | 7.6 | -5.84 | 0.855 |
LLFDI - Function total* | 59.9 | 8.1 | 56.9 | 6.9 | -3.0 | -2.27 | 0.015 |
LLFDI - Disability freq | 52.8 | 4.5 | 52.5 | 6.2 | -0.3 | 0.14 | 0.810 |
LLFDI - Disability limitation | 73.6 | 11.7 | 72.7 | 13.1 | -0.9 | -0.425 | 0.771 |
Functional Measures and Disability Status | Males (n = 151) | Females (n = 320) | Difference in mean | B | p | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mean
|
SD
|
mean
|
SD
| ||||
Timed up go (sec)* | 9.18 | 2.33 | 9.72 | 3.01 | -0.54 | 0.60 | 0.033 |
Timed chair stands (sec) | 9.19 | 4.09 | 9.32 | 3.43 | -0.13 | 0.19 | 0.630 |
6 minute walk distance (m)* | 416.74 | 96.22 | 393.22 | 91.43 | 23.52 | -26.54 | 0.006 |
Postural sway closed: total sway path (mm)* | 6.22 | 0.86 | 5.94 | 0.89 | 0.28 | -0.31 | 0.002 |
Postural sway open: total sway path (mm) | 5.58 | 0.83 | 5.54 | 0.92 | 0.04 | -.060 | 0.538 |
Berg balance score | 7.51 | 1.16 | 7.53 | 1.15 | -0.02 | .037 | 0.750 |
Step test right (steps) | 12.30 | 3.46 | 12.00 | 3.72 | 0.30 | -0.33 | 0.404 |
Step test left (steps) | 12.31 | 3.62 | 12.20 | 3.74 | 0.11 | -0.04 | 0.921 |
Quad strength right (kg)* | 26.25 | 0.74 | 16.67 | 0.35 | 9.58 | -9.40 | <0.001 |
Quad strength left (kg) * | 26.86 | 0.73 | 16.63 | 0.37 | 10.23 | -10.22 | <0.001 |
Single right leg stand (sec) | 15.83 | 17.76 | 14.58 | 17.21 | 1.25 | 0.65 | 0.727 |
Single left leg stand (sec) | 15.08 | 1.51 | 14.35 | 1.03 | 0.73 | -0.47 | 0.809 |
WOMAC: | |||||||
Knee pain score1 | 56.95 | 67.44 | 69.35 | 80.89 | -12.40 | 11.55 | 0.171 |
Knee stiffness score | 29.29 | 36.52 | 36.07 | 42.98 | -6.78 | 7.44 | 0.100 |
Knee function score | 256.11 | 252.73 | 297.84 | 273.72 | -41.73 | 45.31 | 0.125 |
Hip pain score1 | 50.31 | 67.04 | 57.78 | 80.92 | -7.47 | 5.82 | 0.494 |
Hip stiffness score | 24.18 | 30.91 | 28.74 | 37.77 | -4.56 | 3.57 | 0.370 |
Hip function score | 229.11 | 261.61 | 250.41 | 278.39 | -21.3 | 16.72 | 0.582 |
LLFDI - Function total* | 62.00 | 8.42 | 58.00 | 7.35 | 4.00 | -4.19 | <0.001 |
LLFDI - Disability freq* | 51.94 | 4.41 | 53.14 | 5.06 | -1.20 | 1.38 | 0.013 |
LLFDI - Disability limitation | 73.55 | 11.72 | 73.33 | 12.12 | 0.22 | -0.72 | 0.607 |
Models for pre-clinical disability
Linear regression model | B | CI | p value |
---|---|---|---|
Function total R
2
= 0.515
| |||
Female gender | -4.75 | -6.73 to -2.77 | <0.001 |
Age group 75-79 | -1.37 | -2.92 to 0.17 | 0.082 |
Age group 80-84 | -1.88 | -3.65 to -0.11 | 0.038 |
Age group >85 | -2.46 | -4.76 to -0.17 | 0.036 |
Number of community services | -0.82 | -1.70 to 0.06 | 0.067 |
Retirement village dweller | -1.37 | -2.87 to 0.13 | 0.074 |
Beck depression score | -0.23 | -0.34 to -0.12 | <0.001 |
Number of medical conditions | -0.50 | -1.02 to 0.03 | 0.064 |
Timed up and go | -0.46 | -0.76 to -0.16 | 0.003 |
Hip pain (WOMAC) | -0.01 | -0.02 to 0.00 | 0.043 |
Arthritis | -1.61 | -3.08 to -0.14 | 0.032 |
Knee pain (WOMAC) | -0.02 | -0.03 to -0.01 | <0.001 |
SPHS good | -0.18 | -1.55 to 1.18 | 0.792 |
SPHS poor | -2.45 | -4.74 to -0.17 | 0.035 |
BMI | -0.17 | -0.33 to -0.02 | 0.031 |
6 minute walk distance (m) | 0.01 | 0.01 to 0.02 | 0.002 |
Height | -11.04 | -20.48 to -1.60 | 0.022 |
Disability frequency R2 = 0.20 | |||
Female gender | 1.77 | 0.70 to 2.84 | 0.001 |
Beck depression score | -0.18 | -0.26 to -0.09 | <0.001 |
6 minute walk distance (m) | 0.01 | 0.00 to 0.01 | 0.032 |
Step test (right leg stepping) | 0.17 | 0.02 to 0.32 | 0.029 |
SPHS good | -1.00 | -2.05 to 0.06 | 0.063 |
SPHS poor | -2.39 | -4.20 to -0.59 | 0.010 |
Single leg stand (right) | 0.03 | 0.00 to 0.06 | 0.028 |
Hypertension | 0.91 | -0.09 to 1.90 | 0.074 |
BMI | 0.12 | 0.01 to 0.23 | 0.032 |
Disability limitation R2 = 0.35 | |||
BMI | 0.29 | 0.04 to 0.53 | 0.024 |
SPHS good | 0.66 | -1.65 to 2.98 | 0.573 |
SPHS poor | -4.66 | -8.74 to -0.57 | 0.026 |
Live alone | 2.55 | 0.39 to 4.71 | 0.021 |
Number of community services | -1.74 | -3.24 to -0.25 | 0.023 |
Secondary education | -1.81 | -4.79 to 1.17 | 0.233 |
Trade education | 1.80 | -1.62 to 5.22 | 0.300 |
University education | -2.32 | -4.88 to 0.24 | 0.075 |
Number of med conditions | -1.31 | -2.14 to -0.48 | 0.002 |
Beck depression score | -0.42 | -0.60 to -0.24 | <0.001 |
Timed up and go | -0.71 | -1.15 to -0.28 | 0.001 |
Knee pain (WOMAC) | -0.03 | -0.04 to -0.01 | 0.002 |
Hip pain (WOMAC) | -0.02 | -0.04 to 0.00 | 0.016 |
Discussion
Author | This Study | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Study population
| Convenience sample of 150 USA community dwellers recruited by telephone, 60+ years, cognitively intact, able to get out of bed, no recent hospitalisation, stratified by physical function limitation defined by the physical function items of the SF-36. | AUST community and retirement dwellers, 70+ years, Pre-clinically disabled based on Fried screening tool. | ||||||
Sample
Size
| Severe limitation (n = 27) | Moderate limitation (n = 45) | Slight limitation (n = 57) | All (n = 471) | Community (n = 366) | Retirement (n = 105) | Men (n = 151) | Women (n = 320) |
LLFDI dimension:
|
mean(SE)
| |||||||
Function Total | 41.7 (7.0) | 53.2 (6.2) | 65.6 (6.9) | 59.3 (7.9) | 59.9 (8.1) | 56.9 (6.9) | 62 (8.4) | 58 (7.4) |
Disability frequency | 44.3 (4.9) | 49.5 (4.9) | 53.6 (4.8) | 52.8 (4.9) | 52.8 (4.5) | 52.5 (6.2) | 51.9 (4.4) | 53.1 (5.1) |
Disability limitation | 55.4 (7.3) | 63.5 (8.3) | 73.8 (10.9) | 73.4 (12) | 73.6 (11.7) | 72.7 (13.1) | 73.6 (11.7) | 73.3 (12.1) |