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Liao JY, Lien YY, Liao Y, Lien YJ. Self-perceptions of aging, physical activity, and depressive symptoms in older community residents with varied neighborhood walkability in Taiwan. BMC Geriatr 2024; 24:596. [PMID: 38992578 PMCID: PMC11242005 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-024-05123-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prior research has identified the mediating effect of physical activity in the relationship between self-perceptions of aging and physical health. However, this impact on mental health is unknown, and the influence of environmental contexts proposed by ecological models in this regard remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the role of physical activity in the relationship between self-perceptions of aging and depressive symptoms in older adults, and compare the impact across four levels of neighborhood walkability. METHODS A sample of 1,055 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 or above was obtained through random-digit-dialing computer-assisted telephone interviewing. The individual's neighborhood walkability was calculated using Walk Score®, and categorized into four levels: car-dependent, somewhat walkable, very walkable, and walker's paradise. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was employed. RESULTS We found that more positive self-perceptions of aging were associated with fewer depressive symptoms and a mediation effect of physical activity in this relationship. Among the four levels of neighborhood walkability, the mediation effect of physical activity was only statistically significant in the lowest level (car-dependent). The findings supported our hypotheses regarding the mediating effect of self-perceptions of aging on depressive symptoms via physical activity. Neighborhood walkability might potentially influence the mediating role of physical activity. CONCLUSIONS This study emphasizes key areas on intervention programs and policy formulation to promote mental health in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Yu Liao
- Department of Health Promotion and Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, 162, Heping East Road Section 1, 106, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yin-Yi Lien
- Department of Health Promotion and Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, 162, Heping East Road Section 1, 106, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yung Liao
- Graduate Institute of Sport, Leisure and Hospitality Management, National Taiwan Normal University, 162, Heping East Road Section 1, 106, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, 359-1192, Japan
| | - Yin-Ju Lien
- Department of Health Promotion and Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, 162, Heping East Road Section 1, 106, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Wende ME, Lohman MC, Friedman DB, McLain AC, LaMonte MJ, Whitsel EA, Shadyab AH, Garcia L, Chrisinger BW, Pan K, Bird CE, Sarto GE, Kaczynski AT. Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status, Green Space, and Walkability and Risk for Falls Among Postmenopausal Women: The Women's Health Initiative. Womens Health Issues 2023; 33:443-458. [PMID: 37149415 PMCID: PMC10330171 DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2023.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study estimated associations between neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES), walkability, green space, and incident falls among postmenopausal women and evaluated modifiers of these associations, including study arm, race and ethnicity, baseline household income, baseline walking, age at enrollment, baseline low physical functioning, baseline fall history, climate region, and urban-rural residence. METHODS The Women's Health Initiative recruited a national sample of postmenopausal women (50-79 years) across 40 U.S. clinical centers and conducted yearly assessments from 1993 to 2005 (n = 161,808). Women reporting a history of hip fracture or walking limitations were excluded, yielding a final sample of 157,583 participants. Falling was reported annually. NSES (income/wealth, education, occupation), walkability (population density, diversity of land cover, nearby high-traffic roadways), and green space (exposure to vegetation) were calculated annually and categorized into tertiles (low, intermediate, high). Generalized estimating equations assessed longitudinal relationships. RESULTS NSES was associated with falling before adjustment (high vs. low, odds ratio, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-1.01). Walkability was significantly associated with falls after adjustment (high vs. low, odds ratio, 0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.98-0.99). Green space was not associated with falling before or after adjustment. Study arm, race and ethnicity, household income, age, low physical functioning, fall history, and climate region modified the relationship between NSES and falling. Race and ethnicity, age, fall history, and climate region modified relationships between walkability and green space and falling. CONCLUSIONS Our results did not show strong associations of NSES, walkability, or green space with falling. Future research should incorporate granular environmental measures that may directly relate to physical activity and outdoor engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn E Wende
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.
| | - Matthew C Lohman
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - Daniela B Friedman
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - Alexander C McLain
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - Michael J LaMonte
- Deparment of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Eric A Whitsel
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health and Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Aladdin H Shadyab
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Lorena Garcia
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California
| | - Benjamin W Chrisinger
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, Division of Social Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kathy Pan
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Downey Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, Downey, California
| | - Chloe E Bird
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California; Center for Health Equity Research, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Gloria E Sarto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Andrew T Kaczynski
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina; Prevention Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
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Laberee K, Nelson T, Boss D, Ferster C, Hosford K, Fuller D, Cloutier MS, Winters M. WalkRollMap.org: Crowdsourcing barriers to mobility. FRONTIERS IN REHABILITATION SCIENCES 2023; 4:1023582. [PMID: 37009401 PMCID: PMC10057531 DOI: 10.3389/fresc.2023.1023582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
Walking is a simple way to improve health through physical activity. Yet many people experience barriers to walking from a variety of physical, social, and psychological factors that impact their mobility. A challenge for managing and studying pedestrian environments is that barriers often occur at local scales (e.g., sidewalk features), yet such fine scale data on pedestrian facilities and experiences are often lacking or out of date. In response, our team developed WalkRollMap.org an online mapping tool that empowers communities by providing them with tools for crowdsourcing their own open data source. In this manuscript we highlight key functions of the tool, discuss initial approaches to community outreach, and share trends in reporting from the first nine months of operation. As of July 27, 2022, there have been 897 reports, of which 53% served to identify hazards, 34% missing amenities, and 14% incidents. The most frequently reported issues were related to sidewalks (15%), driver behavior (19%), and marked crosswalks (7%). The most common suggested amenities were sidewalks, marked crosswalks, connections (i.e., pathways between streets), and curb cuts. The most common types of incidents all included conflicts with vehicles. Data compiled through WalkRollMap.org offer unique potential for local and timely information on microscale barriers to mobility and are available for use by anyone as data are open and downloadable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Laberee
- Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Correspondence: Karen Laberee
| | - Trisalyn Nelson
- Spatial Pattern Analysis & Research Lab, Department of Geography, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Darren Boss
- Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Colin Ferster
- Cities, Health & Active Transportation Research Lab, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Kate Hosford
- Cities, Health & Active Transportation Research Lab, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Daniel Fuller
- Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Marie-Soleil Cloutier
- Laboratoire Piétons et Espace Urbain, Centre Urbanisation Culture Société, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Meghan Winters
- Cities, Health & Active Transportation Research Lab, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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Akinci ZS, Delclòs-Alió X, Vich G, Salvo D, Ibarluzea J, Miralles-Guasch C. How different are objective operationalizations of walkability for older adults compared to the general population? A systematic review. BMC Geriatr 2022; 22:673. [PMID: 35971086 PMCID: PMC9377138 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-022-03233-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Walking is an essential activity for everyone and for older adults in particular, given that it is the most accessible form of physical activity and one of the healthiest transportation modes. Understanding how walkability (the potential of the environment to enable and/or encourage walking) has been objectively measured and analyzed for older adults is critical to create more inclusive, healthy, and sustainable environments and to promote healthy aging. Despite the numerous reviews on physical activity among older adults and its relationship with the built environment, the literature still lacks comparison reviews focusing specifically on objective operationalizations of walkability for older adults vs. the general population. Methods We conducted a systematic review of 146 empirical studies that measured walkability objectively in relation to walking-related outcomes. We compared studies focused on older adults (n = 24) and the general population (n = 122). Content analysis included the characteristics of the study design, walkability measures, spatial extent, and associations found between walkability and walking-related outcomes. Results In both groups of publications, the majority of studies were conducted in the US, Canada, and Europe, and largely in high-income countries. They were mostly published in health-related journals and used cross-sectional designs, operationalized walkability by using indexes, employed self-reported measures for walking-related outcomes, and found positive associations between walkability and walking outcomes. However, we observed some differences among studies focusing on older adults. Compared to studies focusing on the general population, a larger proportion of studies on older adults was conducted in the Middle East and Asia, and they used longitudinal designs, mixed methods to measure walking-related outcomes, variables related with land-use characteristics, safety from traffic and crime, and greenery, and a larger proportion found positive, as well as no associations between walkability and walking-related outcomes. Conclusion Although there is a promising increase in interest in older adults-focused walkability studies in the last decade, there is still a need for more studies focusing on different settings, using wider spatial extents, longitudinal designs, objective or mixed methods to collect outcome data, and specific variables and/or specially created indexes for older adults and for settings. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-022-03233-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep S Akinci
- Grup d'Estudis en Mobilitat, Transport i Territori (GEMOTT), Departament de Geografia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici B, Campus de Bellaterra, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Xavier Delclòs-Alió
- Grup de Recerca en Anàlisi Territorial i Estudis Turístics (GRATET), Departament de Geografia, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Vila-seca, Spain
| | - Guillem Vich
- Grup d'Estudis en Mobilitat, Transport i Territori (GEMOTT), Departament de Geografia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici B, Campus de Bellaterra, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.,ISGlobal (Barcelona Institute for Global Health), Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Deborah Salvo
- People, Health and Place Unit; Prevention Research Center in St. Louis; Brown School; Washington University in St Louis , St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jesús Ibarluzea
- Ministry of Health of the Basque Government, Sub-Directorate for Public Health and Addictions of Gipuzkoa, 20013, San Sebastian, Spain.,Faculty of Psychology of the University of the Basque Country, 20018, San Sebastian, Spain.,Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), 28029, Madrid, Spain.,Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development Group, 20014, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Carme Miralles-Guasch
- Grup d'Estudis en Mobilitat, Transport i Territori (GEMOTT), Departament de Geografia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici B, Campus de Bellaterra, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona - Edifici ICTA-ICP, Campus de Bellaterra, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
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Asiamah N, Conduah AK, Danquah E, Kouveliotis K, Eduafo R. Abuse and Neglect of Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Index Generation, an Assessment of Intensity, and Implications for Ageing in Place. ADVANCES IN GERONTOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s2079057022020035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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do Nascimento CF, Batista AFDM, Duarte YAO, Chiavegatto Filho ADP. Early identification of older individuals at risk of mobility decline with machine learning. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2022; 100:104625. [DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2022.104625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Application of Walkability Index for Older Adults' Health in the Brazilian Context: The Case of Vitória-ES, Brazil. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19031483. [PMID: 35162505 PMCID: PMC8835329 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
This study follows up on the article ‘Walkability Index for Elderly Health: A Proposal’, published in 2020, as well its validation in the Historic Center of Porto, published in 2021. The 2020 article presented the theoretical and methodological bases relating qualities of public spaces, the walkability of older adults, and the direct benefits on health. The 2021 article validated the applicability of the index in the Historic Center of Porto, Portugal. Both articles incorporated the factor ‘slope’, solving a criticism evidenced in related literature about the slope being ignored in older adults’ walking conditions studies. The present study, however, aims to validate the conceptual design of the Walkability Index for Elderly Health (WIEH) in the Brazilian context at the historic center of Vitória. The methodology included the analysis and evaluation of public spaces regarding the pedestrian network—urban fabric, urban scene, and safety—and the presence of slopes and/or stairways. Subsequently, these spaces were classified according to the WIEH, ascertaining their level of adequacy for older adults’ walkability. The results show that paths friendly to older adults are rare and that the problems encountered focus primarily on the low quality of the pedestrian network and not on the existence of slopes and stairways.
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Brodowski H, Andres N, Gumny M, Eicher C, Steinhagen-Thiessen E, Tannen A, Kiselev J. Reliability of stair-climbing speed in two cohorts of older adults. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THERAPY AND REHABILITATION 2021. [DOI: 10.12968/ijtr.2020.0137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Background/Aims The ability to climb stairs is an important prerequisite for activities of daily living and social participation in older adults, and is therefore an important part of rehabilitation. However, there is no consensus on how to measure stair-climbing ability. The aim of this study was to investigate the test–retest reliability of the measurement of stair-climbing speed (steps per second) as a parameter for functional ability in older adults. Methods A total of 57 participants who were in hospital and 56 participants who were community-dwelling and did not have any limitations in activities in daily living, all aged 60 years and over, ascended and descended a set of 13 stairs twice. The halfway point of the staircase was marked in order to split the time required for both the ascending and the descending actions. Additional measurements consisted of the Functional Reach Test, the Timed Up and Go Test, walking ability using the GAITRite walkway system and the isometric strength of four muscle groups of the lower extremities using a handheld dynamometer. Results Test–retest reliability of the first and second half of the stair-climbing for both ascending and descending showed excellent results for the group of hospitalised participants (intraclass correlation coefficient, [ICC] 0.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79–0.93 to 0.94, 95% CI 0.9 – 0.97 for comparison of first vs second half of stair climbing; ICC 0.9, 95% CI 0.83-0.94 to ICC 0.95, 95% CI 0.92–0.97 for comparing first vs second measurement)) and moderate to excellent results for the group of community-dwelling participants with no limitations (ICC 0.58, 95% CI 0.37–0.73 to ICC 0.76, 95% 95% CI 0.63-0.85 for comparison of first vs second half of stair climbing; ICC 0.82, 95% CI 0.71-0.89 to 0.92, 95% CI 0.87–0.95 for comparing first vs second measurement). As expected, hospitalised participants took significantly longer descending than ascending stairs (t(56)=6.98, P<0.001, d=0.93). A general and significant trend of increasing speed while descending could be observed in both groups (performing paired sample t-tests). Conclusions The results indicate that stair-climbing speed is not constant and that different patterns exist in older adults who have no limitations and in those who are hospitalised. The use of stair-climbing speed as an assessment tool should include both stair ascent and descent, because differences in these speeds seem to be indicators of stair-climbing ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Brodowski
- Institute of Health Sciences, Academic Physiotherapy, Pain and Exercise Research Luebeck University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
- Geriatrics Research Group, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Function Reacheie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Natascha Andres
- Geriatrics Research Group, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Function Reacheie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Margareta Gumny
- Geriatrics Research Group, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Function Reacheie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cornelia Eicher
- Geriatrics Research Group, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Function Reacheie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Steinhagen-Thiessen
- Geriatrics Research Group, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Function Reacheie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Divison of Lipid Metabolism of the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Function Reacheie Universität Berlin Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Antje Tannen
- Institute of Health and Nursing Science, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Function Reacheie Universität Berlin Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Joern Kiselev
- Geriatrics Research Group, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Function Reacheie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Campus, Charité Mitte, Corporate Member of Function Reacheie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
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Asiamah N, Vieira ER, Kouveliotis K, Gasana J, Awuviry-Newton K, Eduafo R. Associations between older African academics' physical activity, walkability and mental health: a social distancing perspective. Health Promot Int 2021; 37:6372832. [PMID: 34543431 PMCID: PMC8500010 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daab093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the moderating influence of neighborhood walkability on the association between physical activity (PA) and mental health among older African academics aged 50 years or more in cities with social distancing protocols in response to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A total of 905 volunteer academics participated in the study. A hierarchical linear regression analysis was employed to conduct sensitivity analyses and test the study hypotheses. After controlling for sex, education and age, there was a positive association between PA and mental health. Neighborhood walkability moderated the relationship between PA and mental health, which suggests that during the pandemic PA was associated with higher mental health scores in more walkable neighborhoods. The study concludes that PA was beneficial to mental health in the social distancing context and was associated with higher mental health in more walkable neighborhoods, particularly in a social distancing context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nestor Asiamah
- School of Health and Care Professions, University of Portsmouth, Winston Churchill Ave, Portsmouth PO1 2UP, UK
| | - Edgar Ramos Vieira
- Department of Physical Therapy, Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences, Florida International University, USA
| | - Kyriakos Kouveliotis
- Department of Health Management, Berlin School of Business and Innovation, Berlin, Germany
| | - Janvier Gasana
- Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Kuwait University, Kuwait
| | - Kofi Awuviry-Newton
- Faculty of Health and Medicine, Priority Research Centre for Generational Health and Ageing, University of Newcastle, Australia
| | - Richard Eduafo
- Africa Centre for Epidemiology, Gerontology and Geriatric Care, Accra North, Ghana
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Asiamah N, Opuni FF, Muhonja F, Danquah E, Agyemang SM, Agyemang I, Omisore A, Mensah HK, Hatsu S, Baffoe RS, Eku E, Manu CA. The relationship between job components, neighbourhood walkability and African academics' physical activity: a post-COVID-19 context. Health Promot Int 2021; 37:6323905. [PMID: 34279619 PMCID: PMC8411380 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daab090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Research to date suggests that physical activity (PA) among academics is insufficient globally. Academics in many African countries were recently required to resume work while observing social distancing protocols. Physical inactivity (PI) was, therefore, expected to increase in such academics. Interestingly, walkable neighbourhoods are resources that could discourage excessive sitting and PI in this situation. This study, therefore, assessed the moderating role of neighbourhood walkability in the relationship between core job components (i.e. on-site teaching, online teaching, research and student assessment) and PA among academics. The study adopted a cross-sectional design that utilized an online survey hosted by Google Forms to gather data. Participants were volunteer full-time academics in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania. A total of 1064 surveys were analysed, with a sensitivity analysis utilized to select covariates for the ultimate hierarchical linear regression model. After controlling for the ultimate covariates (e.g. gender, education and income), PA was found to be positively associated with the job component 'research work' but negatively associated with student assessment. Neighbourhood walkability increased the positive relationship of research work with PA and reduced the negative relationship of student assessment with PA. The non-significant negative relationship between 'teaching online' and PA was made positively significant by neighbourhood walkability. We conclude that research as a job component is positively associated with PA, but online teaching is negatively associated with PA among African academics in a post-COVID-19 context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nestor Asiamah
- University of Portsmouth, School of Health and Care Professions, Winston Churchill Ave, Portsmouth PO1 2UP, UK.,Africa Centre for Epidemiology, Accra Ghana, P. O. Box AN 16284, Accra North, Ghana
| | | | - Faith Muhonja
- School of Public Health, Mount Kenya University, Kenya
| | - Emelia Danquah
- Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Koforidua Technical University, Koforidua, Ghana
| | - Simon Mawulorm Agyemang
- Department of Physical Education and Health, Abetifi Presbyterian College of Education, Ghana
| | - Irene Agyemang
- Student Affairs, West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists, Accra, Ghana
| | - Akinlolu Omisore
- Department of Community Medicine, Osun State University, Nigeria
| | - Henry Kofi Mensah
- Human Resources and Organizational Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Sylvester Hatsu
- Department of Computer Science, Accra Technical University, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Eric Eku
- Department of Behavioural Epidemiology, University of Education, Winneba, Institute for Distance Education and E-learning, Winneba, Ghana
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The moderating influences of social networks on the relationship between neighbourhood walkability and sedentary behaviour in community-dwelling older adults in Accra, Ghana. J Public Health (Oxf) 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10389-021-01582-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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Abstract
This study aims to examine the relationship between the level of walkability and housing prices in Seoul, Korea. The average transaction price per square meter for each apartment complex was set as a dependent variable and the walkability score was used as an independent variable. This study divided a total of 5986 apartment complexes into areas with high and low housing prices for analysis. Based on the strong spatial autocorrelations of housing prices, this study employed spatial regression models in addition to the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model. Results showed that housing prices positively correlated with the walkability score in areas with low housing prices, whereas no significant association was observed in areas with high housing prices. Additional findings showed that housing prices were associated with building age (−), number of households in the complex (+), slope (−), and greenness (+) in both subsamples. Results also showed that high school quality had a different association with housing prices depending on the subsample (e.g., the sign was positive in areas with high housing prices and no significance in areas with low housing prices). The results herein support public policy proposals relevant to urban planning, environmental design, and housing policies.
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Morgan EM, Heseltine JC, Levine GJ, Promislow DEL, Creevy KE. Evaluation of a low-technology system to obtain morphological and mobility trial measurements in dogs and investigation of potential predictors of canine mobility. Am J Vet Res 2019; 80:670-679. [PMID: 31246119 DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.80.7.670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To develop a low-technology system that can be used by dog owners to obtain morphological and mobility measurements in companion dogs as candidate components of an eventual canine frailty scale. ANIMALS 57 adult (≥ 1-year-old) dogs enrolled by 43 owners. PROCEDURES Morphological measurements of dogs were performed by investigators and dog owners. Dogs participated in timed in-clinic mobility trials across a flat surface (on-leash trial with the owner, on-leash trial with the investigator, and off-leash trial) and on stairs; each trial was repeated 3 times. Owners were asked to conduct a second stair trial at home 2 weeks later. Agreement between owner- and investigator-obtained measurements was assessed with Shrout-Fleiss intraclass correlation coefficients and paired t tests. Age, quartile of projected percentage of mean life span attained (adjusted for body weight), and height were evaluated as predictors of speed and stride length in mobility trials with linear regression and Spearman rank correlation analysis. RESULTS Agreement between owner- and investigator-obtained morphological measurements was strong. Age was a weak but significant predictor of decreased dog speed in mobility trials (adjusted R2, 0.10 to 0.23). Speed decreased significantly with increasing quartile of projected life span attained. A linear regression model that included height and age predicted dog speed better than models with age or height alone. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Morphological and mobility trial measurements can be obtained by dog owners with minimal training. Low-technology measurements of mobility trial speed offer potential as components in a future scoring scale for canine frailty.
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Koohsari MJ, Nakaya T, Oka K. Activity-Friendly Built Environments in a Super-Aged Society, Japan: Current Challenges and toward a Research Agenda. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:ijerph15092054. [PMID: 30235862 PMCID: PMC6163734 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15092054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2018] [Revised: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
There is a growing recognition of the role of built environment attributes, such as streets, shops, greenways, parks, and public transportation stations, in supporting people’s active behaviors. In particular, surrounding built environments may have an important role in supporting healthy active aging. Nevertheless, little is known about how built environments may influence active lifestyles in “super-aged societies”. More robust evidence-based research is needed to identify how where people live influences their active behaviors, and how to build beneficial space in the context of super-aged societies. This evidence will also be informative for the broader international context, where having an aging society will be the inevitable future. This commentary sought to move this research agenda forward by identifying key research issues and challenges in examining the role of built environment attributes on active behaviors in Japan, which is experiencing the longest healthy life expectancy, but rapid “super-aging”, with the highest proportion of old adults among its population in the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Javad Koohsari
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama 359-1192, Japan.
- Behavioural Epidemiology Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne 3004, Australia.
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne 3000, Australia.
| | - Tomoki Nakaya
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Sendai City 980-0845, Japan.
| | - Koichiro Oka
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama 359-1192, Japan.
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