Social vulnerability and new mobility disability among adults with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed SARS-CoV-2: Michigan COVID-19 Recovery Surveillance Study

OBJECTIVE

Understanding the relationship between social factors and persistent COVID-19 health outcomes, such as onset of a disability after a SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) infection, is an increasingly important public health issue. The purpose of this paper is to examine associations between social vulnerability and new onset of a mobility disability post-COVID-19 diagnosis.

METHODS

We used data from the Michigan COVID-19 Recovery Surveillance Study, a population-based probability survey of adults with PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in Michigan between January 2020-May 2022 (n = 4295). We used the Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index (MHSVI), with high county-level social vulnerability defined at or above the 75th percentile. Mobility disability was defined as new difficulty walking or climbing stairs. We regressed mobility disability on the overall MHSVI, as well as sub-themes of the index (socioeconomic status, household composition/disability, minority and language, housing type, healthcare access, and medical vulnerability), using multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for age, race, sex, education, employment, and income.

RESULTS

Living in a county with high (vs. low) social vulnerability was associated with 1.38 times higher odds (95% confidence interval [CI]:1.18-1.61) of reporting a new mobility disability after a COVID-19 diagnosis after adjustment. Similar results were observed for the socioeconomic status and household composition/disability sub-themes. In contrast, residents of highly racially diverse counties had lower odds (odds ratio 0.74, 95% CI: 0.61, 0.89) of reporting a new mobility disability compared to low diversity counties.

CONCLUSIONS

Mitigating the effects of social vulnerabilities requires additional resources and attention to support affected individuals.

The Epidemiology and Societal Impact of Aging-Related Functional Limitations: A Looming Public Health Crisis

Functional impairment and disability become increasingly common with aging. As more people are reaching old age, the number of people needing care will rise, creating a crisis of need for care. Population studies and clinical trials have demonstrated the importance of the detection of early loss of strength and walking speed in predicting disability and in designing interventions to prevent functional decline. There is a large societal burden linked to age-related disorders. Physical activity is to date the only intervention that has prevented disability in a long-term clinical trial, but is difficult to sustain. Novel interventions are needed to maintain function in late life.

Growth Hormone Secretagogues as Potential Therapeutic Agents to Restore Growth Hormone Secretion in Older Subjects to Those Observed in Young Adults

The discovery of the growth hormone secretagogues (GHS) and the reverse pharmacology leading to the discovery of GHS receptor which enabled the identification of ghrelin as the natural ligand for the receptor have opened a new horizon in growth hormone (GH) physiology, pathophysiology, and therapeutics. Major progress has been made and we now have orally active GHS which are able to restore optimal pulsatile GH secretion which cannot be overstimulated as insulin-like growth factor feedback regulates the peaks to the optimum level. This enables GH to be restored in the older to levels normally seen in 20- to 30-year-old people; this leads to an increase in fat-free mass and redistribution of fat to the limbs. As these agents are ultimately approved and investigated further, it is likely that they will be shown to restore growth in children with moderate-to-mild GH deficiency; their benefits will be investigated in other indications such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, frailty, anemia, osteoporosis, and immune compromise in older subjects. The exquisite regulation of GH secretion reflects the importance of GH pulsatility in the regulation of somatotroph action of GH.

Comparison of healthspan-related indicators between adults with and without HIV infection aged 18-59 in the United States: a secondary analysis of NAHNES 1999-March 2020

BACKGROUND

As persons with HIV (PWH) live longer they may experience a heightened burden of poor health. However, few studies have characterized the multi-dimentional health of PWH. Thus, we aimed to identify the extent and pattern of health disparities, both within HIV infection status and across age (or sex) specific groups.

METHODS

We used cross-sectional data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-March 2020. The adjusted prevalence of six healthspan-related indicators-physical frailty, activities of daily living (ADL) disability, mobility disability, depression, multimorbidity, and all-cause death-was evaluated. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to investigate associations between HIV status and healthspan-related indicators, with adjustment for individual-level demographic characteristics and risk behaviors.

RESULTS

The analytic sample consisted of 33 200 adults (170 (0.51%) were PWH) aged 18-59 years in the United States. The mean (interquartile range) age was 35.1 (25.0-44.0) years, and 49.4% were male. PWH had higher adjusted prevalences for all of the 6 healthspan-related indicators, as compared to those without HIV, ranged from 17.4% (95% CI: 17.4%, 17.5%) vs. 2.7% (95%CI: 2.7%, 2.7%) for all-cause mortality, to 84.3% (95% CI: 84.0%, 84.5%) vs. 69.8% (95%CI: 69.7%, 69.8%) for mobility disability. While the prevalence difference was largest in ADL disability (23.4% (95% CI: 23.2%, 23.7%); P < 0.001), and least in multimorbidity (6.9% (95% CI: 6.8%, 7.0%); P < 0.001). Generally, the differences in prevalence by HIV status were greater in 50-59 years group than those in 18-29 group. Males with HIV suffered higher prevalence of depression and multimorbidity, while females with HIV were more vulnerable to functional limitation and disabilities. HIV infection was associated with higher odds for 3 of the 6 healthspan-related indicators after fully adjusted, such as physical frailty and depression. Sensitivity analyses did not change the health differences between adults with and without HIV infection.

CONCLUSIONS

In a large sample of U.S. community-dwelling adults, by identifying the extent and pattern of health disparities, we characterized the multi-dimentional health of PWHs, providing important public health implications for public policy that aims to improve health of persons with HIV and further reduce these disparities.

Age-related changes in gait domains: Results from the LonGenity study

BACKGROUND

Impairment in gait domains such as pace, rhythm, and variability are associated with falls, cognitive decline, and dementia. However, the longitudinal changes in these gait domains are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to examine age-related changes in gait domains overall and in those with cognitive impairment and mobility disability.

METHODS

Participants were from the LonGenity study (n = 797; M Age=75.1 SD 6.5 years; 58.2% female) and were followed up to 12 years (Median=3.3; IQR: 1.1; 6.3). Gait speed and absolute values of step length, step time, cadence and, variability (standard deviation) of step length and step time during usual pace walking were assessed. Principal components analysis was used to obtain weighted combinations of three gait domains: pace (velocity, step length), variability (step length variability, step time variability) and rhythm (step time). Linear mixed effect models were used to examine age-related changes in gait domains overall, and in those with cognitive impairment and mobility disability at baseline.

RESULTS

Pace declined, and rhythm increased (worsened) in an accelerating non-linear fashion. Variability gradually increased with age. Those with cognitive impairment had faster rates of change in pace and rhythm. Those with mobility disability had faster increases in rhythm.

CONCLUSIONS

Age-related changes in gait domains are not uniform. Individuals with cognitive and mobility impairments are particularly vulnerable to accelerated change in pace and or rhythm.

Effects of a consumer driven home modification intervention on community participation for people with mobility disabilities

BACKGROUND

Community participation has become a key outcome measure for people with disabilities. This has resulted in a shift in researchers focus from the individual to the environment. However, research has focused primarily on participation barriers in the community with limited research examining the role of the home environment. For people with mobility disabilities the home environment is the starting place for community participation and research is needed to understand the relationship between the home and participation outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

This study explores the effects of a consumer-driven home modification intervention on community participation for people with mobility disabilities.

METHODS

We conducted a randomized control trial (from June 2017-April 2019) of the effects of a consumer-directed home modification intervention on community participation. The intervention, the Home Usability Program, was implemented with consumers at two different Centers for Independent Living (N = 195) and included a self-assessment of their home environment and implementation of a home usability change.

RESULTS

The Home Usability program positively affected the community participation of people with mobility disabilities. Overall, intervention participants reported a 39.5% (p < .05) increase in social and recreational activities immediately following the intervention relative to the control group after controlling for health status and month when outcome data were collected. Six months after the intervention, this effect returned to baseline.

CONCLUSIONS

Community-based, consumer-driven home modification programs show promise for improving community participation outcomes among people with disabilities, however, more research is needed to understand why results did not persist.

Physical activity recommendation by health care providers to adults with and without functional limitations

Adults with functional limitations are more likely to be physically inactive than those without functional limitations, despite evidence that regular physical activity (PA) slows the progression of functional decline. The health care setting provides an opportunity to communicate with patients about positive behavior changes, including increased PA, but there is little information about provider recommendation for PA to adults with functional limitations. This study investigated health care provider recommendation to increase PA among adults with and without functional limitations. Adults (≥18 years) who participated in the 2016 National Health Interview Survey and reported ≥1 primary care encounter within the previous 12 months were included (unweighted n = 23,540; weighted N = 170,004,764). Receipt of PA recommendation and physical functioning limitations were self-reported. Statistical analyses were weighted to account for complex survey sampling design. One-third (35.88%) of adults received a PA recommendation and 19.71% reported functional limitations. Adults who received a PA recommendation were more likely to have a functional limitation than those who did not (28.64% vs. 14.70%; p < 0.001), even after adjusting for covariates and current activity level (aOR = 1.48; 95% CI:1.33,1.65). PA recommendation for those with functional limitations appeared to increase during middle age and peak for adults aged 65-75 years (57.01%) but declined substantially for adults ≥75 years. Only one-third of adults in the United States received PA recommendations. Health care providers recommended PA to approximately half of adults with functional limitations. Continued efforts to leverage health care encounters for behavior change should be explored, particularly for middle aged and older adults.

Sociodemographic characteristics associated with physical activity barrier perception among manual wheelchair users

BACKGROUND

Individuals with disabilities are sub-optimally active and at increased risk for chronic diseases. Limited knowledge exists about how differences among wheelchair-dependent individuals may affect their perception of physical activity barriers.

OBJECTIVE

We examined whether the perception of physical activity barriers are associated with wheelchair user sociodemographic characteristics.

METHODS

Danish manual wheelchair users (MWCUs) (N = 181; 52.5% females, mean ± SD: age 48 ± 14 yrs) completed the 'Barriers to Physical Activity Questionnaire for People with Mobility Impairments' (BPAQ-MI) online. The BPAQ-MI queries physical activity barriers in four domains (intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, and community) and eight subdomains. Participant characteristics evaluated as potentially associated with physical activity barriers included age, sex, years in chair, body mass index (BMI), spinal cord injury (SCI) (if any), education, employment, and resident city size. Simple linear regression (step 1) and multiple regression models (step 2) were created to assess associations between MWCU characteristics and barriers.

RESULTS

Multiple regression models revealed that MWCUs who were obese, who did not complete high school, or were unemployed rated physical activity barriers higher across several subdomains (all r²≤0.226, p<0.05). Resident city size was associated with safety subdomain barrier impact (r²=0.039, p<0.05). Sex, age, years in chair and SCI were not associated with any barrier domains (all p ≥ 0.064).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results provide new evidence that MWCUs with BMI ≥30; who are not employed; or who only have completed high school, may need special consideration and resources to overcome distinct physical activity barriers. Behavioral strategies and interventions focusing on reducing physical activity barriers should be tailored to the individuals above.

Visceral fat area is the measure of obesity best associated with mobility disability in community dwelling oldest-old Chinese adults

Background

Although obesity can be clinically defined by body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, percent body fat, or visceral fat area, it is unclear which specific measure is best associated with mobility disability in oldest-old adults.

Methods

Among 589 Chinese participants aged 85 years and older in a population-based cohort in Singapore, we measured waist circumference, computed BMI, estimated appendicular skeletal muscle mass, percent body fat, and visceral fat area using bioelectrical impedance analysis, and evaluated mobility disability using the Loco-Check questionnaire. We computed areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC_ROC) to compare how well these measures discriminated between those with and without mobility disability. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the associations between obesity defined by these measures and mobility disability.

Results

Compared to BMI, which had an AUC_ROC (95% CI) of 0.68 (0.64–0.72) for the discrimination of mobility disability, only visceral fat area had a significantly higher discriminative performance [AUC_ROC (95% CI) of 0.71 (0.67–0.75) (P_adjusted = 0.002)]. The optimal cut-offs of visceral fat area for the discrimination of mobility disability were ≥ 104 cm² in men and ≥ 137 cm² in women. In fully adjusted models, only obesity defined by visceral fat area was significantly associated with mobility disability [OR (95% CI) of 2.04 (1.10–3.77)]; obesity defined by the other measures were not associated with mobility disability after adjusting for visceral fat.

Conclusion

In oldest-old adults, visceral fat area was the best discriminator for obesity associated with mobility disability.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-021-02226-6.

Associations of Hearing Loss and Depressive Symptoms With Incident Disability in Older Adults: Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study

BACKGROUND

Depressive symptoms and hearing loss (HL) are independently associated with increased risk of incident disability; whether the increased risk is additive is unclear.

METHODS

Cox Proportional Hazards models were used to assess joint associations of HL (normal, mild, moderate/severe) and late-life depressive symptoms (defined by a score of ≥8 on the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale) with onset of mobility disability (a lot of difficulty or inability to walk ¼ mile and/or climb 10 steps) and any disability in activities of daily living (ADL), among 2,196 participants of the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study, a cohort of well-functioning older adults aged 70-79 years. Models were adjusted for age, race, sex, education, diabetes, hypertension, and body mass index.

RESULTS

Relative to participants with normal hearing and without depressive symptoms, participants without depressive symptoms who had mild or moderate/severe HL had increased risk of incident mobility and ADL disability (hazard ratio [HR] for mobility disability, mild HL:1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09, 1.64 and HR for mobility disability, moderate/severe HL: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.75 and HR for ADL disability, mild HL: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.63, and HR for ADL disability, moderate/severe HL: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.82). Among participants with depressive symptoms, mild HL (HR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.09, 2.70) was associated with increased risk of incident mobility disability.

CONCLUSIONS

Independent of depressive symptoms, risk of incident disability was greater in older adults with HL, regardless of severity. Further research into HL interventions may delay disability onset.

Technical quality of online resources for mobility device training

Purpose: Training is recommended to improve safe and effective use of mobility aids. The internet offers a large amount of information and it can be difficult to identify resources with good quality. This project aimed to create a catalogue of online educational resources for mobility device training. The objective of this study was to identify and assess the quality of existing online educational resources for mobility device training for individuals with physical disabilities and caregivers.Methods: A Google search was conducted in October 2016 and replicated in January 2018. Resources were included if they were educational, were available in English or French, provided instruction or training in mobility aid use, were free of charge, and were targeted towards mobility device users or their caregivers. Resources were assessed using a modified version of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks for the evaluation of technical quality.Results: Two hundred and seventy-one resources were included in the final analysis. Two resources were added by the research team for a total of 273 resources. The average JAMA quality score per mobility device varied between 3 (for crutches) and 5 (for knee scooters) out of 6, and weighted average was 3.6. The two resources added by the research team obtained a JAMA quality score of 6. 58 resources were retained for the catalogue.Conclusions: The results suggest that the technical quality of online educational resources for mobility device training could be improved. A need for higher quality resources for device users and caregivers was identified.Implications for rehabilitationThe overall technical quality of online educational resources for mobility device training for users and caregivers is low.A Mobility Device Training Catalogue is freely available and summarizes the highest quality online resources found on mobility device training.The Mobility Device Training Catalogue is intended for use by users and caregivers, but it may also provide clinicians with a tool that may be shared with their clients.

Establishing the Link Between Lean Mass and Grip Strength Cut Points With Mobility Disability and Other Health Outcomes: Proceedings of the Sarcopenia Definition and Outcomes Consortium Conference

BACKGROUND

Lack of consensus on how to diagnose sarcopenia has limited the ability to diagnose this condition and hindered drug development. The Sarcopenia Definitions and Outcomes Consortium (SDOC) was formed to develop evidence-based diagnostic cut points for lean mass and/or muscle strength that identify people at increased risk of mobility disability. We describe here the proceedings of a meeting of SDOC and other experts to discuss strategic considerations in the development of evidence-based sarcopenia definition.

METHODS

Presentations and panel discussions reviewed the usefulness of sarcopenia as a biomarker, the analytical approach used by SDOC to establish cut points, and preliminary findings, and provided strategic direction to develop an evidence-based definition of sarcopenia.

RESULTS

The SDOC assembled data from eight epidemiological cohorts consisting of 18,831 participants, clinical populations from 10 randomized trials and observational studies, and 2 nationally representative cohorts. In preliminary assessments, grip strength or grip strength divided by body mass index was identified as discriminators of risk for mobility disability (walking speed <0.8 m/s), whereas dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry-derived lean mass measures were not good discriminators of mobility disability. Candidate definitions based on grip strength variables were associated with increased risk of mortality, falls, mobility disability, and instrumental activities of daily living disability. The prevalence of low grip strength increased with age. The attendees recommended the establishment of an International Expert Panel to review a series of position statements on sarcopenia definition that are informed by the findings of the SDOC analyses and synthesis of literature.

CONCLUSIONS

International consensus on an evidence-based definition of sarcopenia is needed. Grip strength-absolute or adjusted for body mass index-is an important discriminator of mobility disability and other endpoints. Additional research is needed to develop a predictive risk model that takes into account sarcopenia components as well as age, sex, race, and comorbidities.

Physical activity types among US adults with mobility disability, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2017

BACKGROUND

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, second edition, recommend that all adults participate in moderate-intensity equivalent aerobic physical activity at least 150-300 min/week for substantial health benefits and muscle-strengthening activities involving all major muscle groups 2 or more days a week. The prevalence of the general population meeting the Guidelines and the types of physical activity in which they engage have been described elsewhere. Similar descriptions are lacking for individuals with mobility disability whose physical activity profiles may differ from the general population.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined patterns of aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity among US adults with mobility disability.

METHODS

We used 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from 66,635 adults with mobility disability. We estimated the percentage who engaged in any aerobic physical activity, met the aerobic and/or muscle-strengthening guidelines, and who participated in specific activities.

RESULTS

Less than half (45.2%) of US adults with mobility disability reported engaging in aerobic physical activity, and 39.5% met one or both components of the physical activity guidelines. Walking was the most commonly reported activity type (34.0%).

CONCLUSIONS

Walking is a common activity type among adults with mobility disability. Efforts to make walking or wheelchair rolling a safe, viable option are important to helping decrease barriers that may limit the ability of those with mobility disability to engage in walking or other physical activity types.

Incident Mobility Disability, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Mortality in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Mobility disability and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are common in aging and both are associated with risk of death. This study tested the hypothesis that risk of death differs by the order in which mobility disability and MCI occurred.

METHODS

One thousand two hundred and sixty-two community-dwelling older adults were unimpaired at baseline and followed annually. Mobility disability was based on measured gait speed, and MCI was based on cognitive performance tests. A multistate Cox model simultaneously examined incidences of mobility disability and MCI to determine whether the order of their occurrence is differentially associated with risk of death.

RESULTS

The average age was 75.3 years and 70% were female. While mobility disability occurred more frequently than incident MCI, the subsequent risk of death was higher in participants who developed MCI alone compared to those who developed mobility disability alone (hazard ratio [HR] 1.70, p = 0.018). Of the participants who initially developed mobility disability, about half subsequently developed MCI that doubled their risk of death (HR 2.17, p < 0.001). By contrast, over two-third who developed MCI subsequently developed mobility disability, which did not further increase their risk of death.

CONCLUSION

Mobility disability occurs more frequently in community-dwelling older adults, but MCI is more strongly associated with mortality.

The complexity of reaching and maintaining a healthy body weight - the experience from adults with a mobility disability

BACKGROUND

People with a disability affecting their mobility are more likely to be overweight or obese than those without a mobility disability. The guidelines on how to prevent and treat overweight/obese adults in the general population have not been adapted to the needs of people with a mobility disability. A reasonable useful first step in the process of adapting such guidelines is to conduct a qualitative study of the perceived needs of these people.

AIM

The aim was to explore the experienced importance of body weight among adults with a mobility disability and their perceived needs and actions to reach and maintain a healthy weight.

METHOD

This was an explorative qualitative study based on individual interviews and qualitative content analysis. An inductive analysis of the interviews formed the basis for the establishment of sub-categories, main categories and, finally, a main theme. The twenty participants included in the study have had a mobility disability for more than two years before being recruited.

RESULTS

The overall theme, "The complex trajectory to a healthy weight", included four main categories. In the category (i) Vicious circle of problems, the participants perceived that everything was harder with the combination of a mobility disability and being overweight/obese with one factor making the other worse. In (ii) Strategies based on decisions and attempts, the participants talked about different ways of attempting to reach or maintain a healthy weight. In (iii) Internal resources, they spoke of awareness and motivation as contributory factors. In (iv) External resources - experienced and required, they spoke about feelings that their weight problems were not given high priority in primary health care. They found it difficult to get advice designed for persons with a mobility disability and felt that competence was lacking among health professionals. The participants asked for a team of professionals with adequate knowledge concerning mobility disabilities.

CONCLUSIONS

People with a mobility disability combined with being overweight/obese have a complex living situation and health needs. The experiences communicated by participants may facilitate adaption of existing intervention programs or development of a new evidence-based obesity prevention program for primary health care settings.

The "Sarcopenia and Physical fRailty IN older people: multi-componenT Treatment strategies" (SPRINTT) randomized controlled trial: Case finding, screening and characteristics of eligible participants

BACKGROUND

The ongoing "Sarcopenia and Physical fRailty IN older people: multi-componenT Treatment strategies (SPRINTT)" randomized controlled trial (RCT) is testing the efficacy of a multicomponent intervention in the prevention of mobility disability in older adults with physical frailty & sarcopenia (PF&S). Here, we describe the procedures followed for PF&S case finding and screening of candidate participants for the SPRINTT RCT. We also illustrate the main demographic and clinical characteristics of eligible screenees.

METHODS

The identification of PF&S was based on the co-occurrence of three defining elements: (1) reduced physical performance (defined as a score on the Short Physical Performance Battery between 3 and 9); (2) low muscle mass according to the criteria released by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health; and (3) absence of mobility disability (defined as ability to complete the 400-m walk test in 15 min). SPRINTT was advertised through a variety of means. Site-specific case finding strategies were developed to accommodate the variability across centers in catchment area characteristics and access to the target population. A quick "participant profiling" questionnaire was devised to facilitate PF&S case finding.

RESULTS

During approximately 22 months, 12,358 prescreening interviews were completed in 17 SPRINTT sites resulting in 6710 clinic screening visits. Eventually, 1566 candidates were found to be eligible for participating in the SPRINTT RCT. Eligible screenees showed substantial physical function impairment and comorbidity burden. In most centers, project advertisement through mass media was the most rewarding case finding strategy.

CONCLUSION

PF&S case finding in the community is a challenging, but feasible task. Although largely autonomous in daily life activities, older adults with PF&S suffer from significant functional impairment and comorbidity. This subset of the older population is therefore at high risk for disability and other negative health-related events. Key strategies to consider for successfully intercepting at-risk older adults should focus on mass communication methods.

An eHealth program versus a standard care supervised health program and associated health outcomes in individuals with mobility disability: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

Young adults with mobility disability (MD) are less likely to engage in regular physical activity (PA) compared with their able-bodied peers and inactive adults with a MD are more likely to report one or more chronic diseases compared to those who are physically active. Despite the vast amount of research published in the field of PA interventions over the past decades, little attention has been focused on interventions aiming to increase PA among individuals with MD. Thus, we propose to compare the effects of an eHealth program compared to a usual care supervised health program on levels of PA and other health behaviors.

Methods

The current intervention will use a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design with two treatment groups (an eHealth program and a usual care supervised health program) in young adults with newly acquired MD. In total, 110 young adults (aged 18–40 years) with a MD, acquired within the past 3 years, will be recruited to participate in a 12-week intervention. The primary study outcome is accelerometer-measured time spent in moderate to vigorous PA. Secondary outcomes includes health-related quality of life, depression, stress, fitness, body composition, diet, musculoskeletal pain, motivation to exercise and work ability.

Discussion

There is a lack of RCTs investigating effective ways to increase levels of PA in young adults with MD. Increased levels of PA among this physically inactive population have the potential to substantially improve health-related outcomes, possibly more so than in the general population. The trial will put strong emphasis on optimizing exercise adherence and investigating feasibility in the two treatment programs. The Ethical Review Board (EPN) at Karolinska Institutet has approved the study (2017/1206–31/1).

Trial registration

International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN), reference number ISRCTN22387524. Prospectively registered February 4, 2018

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13063-018-2646-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A community-based physical activity intervention to prevent mobility-related disability for retired older people (REtirement in ACTion (REACT)): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The REtirement in ACTion (REACT) study is a multi-centre, pragmatic, two-arm, parallel-group randomised controlled trial (RCT) with an internal pilot phase. It aims to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a community, group-based physical activity intervention for reducing, or reversing, the progression of functional limitations in older people who are at high risk of mobility-related disability.

METHODS/DESIGN

A sample of 768 sedentary, community-dwelling, older people aged 65 years and over with functional limitations, but who are still ambulatory (scores between 4 and 9 out of 12 in the Short Physical Performance Battery test (SPPB)) will be randomised to receive either the REACT intervention, delivered over a period of 12 months by trained facilitators, or a minimal control intervention. The REACT study incorporates comprehensive process and economic evaluation and a nested sub-study which will test the hypothesis that the REACT intervention will slow the rate of brain atrophy and of decline in cognitive function assessed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Outcome data will be collected at baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months for the main study, with MRI sub-study data collected at baseline, 6 and 12 months. The primary outcome analysis (SPPB score at 24 months) will be undertaken blinded to group allocation. Primary comparative analyses will be on an intention-to-treat (ITT) basis with due emphasis placed on confidence intervals.

DISCUSSION

REACT represents the first large-scale, pragmatic, community-based trial in the UK to target the non-disabled but high-risk segment of the older population with an intervention to reduce mobility-related disability. A programme that can successfully engage this population in sufficient activity to improve strength, aerobic capacity, coordination and balance would have a major impact on sustaining health and independence. REACT is also the first study of its kind to conduct a full economic and comprehensive process evaluation alongside the RCT. If effective and cost-effective, the REACT intervention has strong potential to be implemented widely in the UK and elsewhere.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN, ID: ISRCTN45627165 . Retrospectively registered on 13 June 2016. Trial sponsor: University of Bath. Protocol Version 1.5.

The effect of intervening hospitalizations on the benefit of structured physical activity in promoting independent mobility among community-living older persons: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Among older persons, disability is often precipitated by intervening illnesses and injuries leading to hospitalization. In the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) Study, a structured moderate-intensity physical activity program, compared with a health education program, was shown to significantly reduce the amount of time spent with major mobility disability (MMD) over the course of 3.5 years. We aimed to determine whether the benefit of the physical activity program in promoting independent mobility was diminished in the setting of intervening hospitalizations.

METHODS

We analyzed data from a single-blinded, parallel group randomized trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01072500). In this trial, 1635 sedentary persons, aged 70-89 years, who had functional limitations but were able to walk 400 m, were randomized from eight US centers between February 2010 and December 2013: 818 to physical activity (800 received intervention) and 817 to health education (805 received intervention). Intervening hospitalizations and MMD, defined as the inability to walk 400 m, were assessed every 6 months for up to 3.5 years.

RESULTS

For both the physical activity and health education groups, intervening hospitalizations were strongly associated with the initial onset of MMD and inversely associated with recovery from MMD, defined as a transition from initial MMD onset to no MMD. The benefit of the physical activity intervention did not differ significantly based on hospital exposure. For onset of MMD, the hazard ratios (HR) were 0.79 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58-1.1) and 0.77 (0.62-0.95) in the presence and absence of intervening hospitalizations, respectively (P-interaction, 0.903). For recovery of MMD, the magnitude of effect was modestly greater among participants who were hospitalized (HR 1.5, 95% CI 0.71-3.0) than in those who were not hospitalized (HR 1.2, 95% CI 0.88-1.7), but this difference did not achieve statistical significance (P-interaction, 0.670).

CONCLUSIONS

Intervening hospitalizations had strong deleterious effects on the onset of MMD and recovery from MMD, but did not diminish the beneficial effect of the LIFE physical activity intervention in promoting independent mobility. To achieve sustained benefits over time, structured physical activity programs should be designed to accommodate acute illnesses and injuries leading to hospitalizations given their high frequency in older persons with functional limitations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01072500 .

Effect of Metabolic Syndrome on the Mobility Benefit of a Structured Physical Activity Intervention-The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Randomized Clinical Trial

OBJECTIVES

To test whether structured physical activity (PA) is associated with a greater reduction in major mobility disability (MMD) in older persons with metabolic syndrome (MetS) than in those without.

DESIGN

Data from the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) Study, a multicenter randomized trial of 1,635 persons with assessments every 6 months (average 2.7 years).

SETTING

Eight U.S. centers.

PARTICIPANTS

Sedentary men and women aged 70 to 89 with functional limitations (N = 1,535); 100 participants were excluded because of missing MetS data.

INTERVENTION

Participants were randomized to a moderate-intensity PA program (n = 766) or a health education program (n = 769).

MEASUREMENTS

MetS was defined according to the 2009 multiagency harmonized criteria. Outcomes included incident MMD (loss of ability to walk 400 m) and persistent MMD (two consecutive MMD diagnoses or one MMD diagnosis followed by death).

RESULTS

Seven hundred sixty-three (49.7%) participants met criteria for MetS. PA reduced incident MMD more than health education did in participants with MetS (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.57-0.91, P = .007) but not in those without MetS (HR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.73-1.25, P = .75); the test for statistical interaction was not significant (P = .13). PA reduced the risk of persistent MMD in participants with MetS (HR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.41-0.79, P < .001) but not in those without MetS (HR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.67-1.41, P = .87). The test for statistical interaction was significant (P = .04).

CONCLUSION

Moderate-intensity PA substantially reduces the risk of persistent MMD in older persons with functional limitations with MetS but not in those without MetS. Comparable results were observed for incident MMD. The LIFE PA program may be an effective strategy for reducing mobility disability in vulnerable older persons with MetS.

Analysis and Interpretation of Accelerometry Data in Older Adults: The LIFE Study

BACKGROUND

Accelerometry has become the gold standard for evaluating physical activity in the health sciences. An important feature of using this technology is the cutpoint for determining moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) because this is a key component of exercise prescription. This article focused on evaluating what cutpoint is appropriate for use with older adults 70-89 years who are physically compromised.

METHODS

The analyses are based on data collected from the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) study. Accelerometry data were collected during a 40-minute, overground, walking exercise session in a subset of participants at four sites; we also used 1-week baseline and 6-month accelerometry data collected in the main trial.

RESULTS

There was extreme variability in median counts per minute (CPM) achieved during a controlled bout of exercise (n = 140; median = 1,220 CPM (25th, 75th percentile = 715, 1,930 CPM). An equation combining age, age(2), and 400 m gait speed explained 61% of the variance in CPM achieved during this session. When applied to the LIFE accelerometry data (n = 1,448), the use of an individually tailored cutpoint based on this equation resulted in markedly different patterns of MVPA as compared with using standard fixed cutpoints.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study have important implications for the use and interpretations of accelerometry data and in the design/delivery of physical activity interventions with older adults.

Calf circumference predicts mobility disability: A secondary analysis of the Mexican health and ageing study

INTRODUCTION

Calf circumference is a surrogate measurement of muscle mass. However, there is scarce evidence on its validity in predicting adverse outcomes such as mobility disability. The aim of this report is to determine if calf circumference could predict incident mobility disability in Mexican 60-year or older adults.

METHODS

This is a secondary analysis of the Mexican Health and Aging Study and in particular of its two first waves. Sixty-year or older adults without mobility disability in the first assessment were included and followed-up for two years. Calf circumference quartile groups were compared to test the difference of incident mobility disability. Logistic regression models were fitted to test the independent association when including confounding variables.

RESULTS

A total of 745 older adults were assessed, from which 24.4% of the older adults developed mobility disability at follow-up. A calf circumference > 38 cm was associated with a higher risk of developing mobility disability, even after adjustment in the multivariate model, with an odds ratio 0.55 (95% confidence interval 0.31-0.99, P = 0.049).

CONCLUSIONS

High calf circumference in Mexican older adults is independently associated with incident mobility disability. This could reflect the impact of adverse health conditions such as obesity (with high fat tissue) or edema. Further research should aim at testing these results in different populations.

The association of mobility disability, weight status and job strain: A cross-sectional study

AIMS

The study investigated whether people with mobility disability (MD) and/or obesity had higher job strain than people without it, and whether social support at work modifies this association.

METHODS

The study included 35,160 individuals (25-64 years of age) from the Stockholm Public Health Surveys of 2006 and 2010. Data on MD and obesity (BMI ⩾ 30 kg/m(2)calculated from weight (kg) and height (m)) were self-reported. According to the Demand-Control-Support theory job strain, collective strain, and isolated strain were calculated for six groups of people based on the presence of MD and obesity, using the subtraction approach (demand minus control). Differences in job strain mean scores were estimated by multivariate linear regression. Social support at work was analyzed as a potential effect modifier (high/low).

RESULTS

Obese people with MD had the highest job strain (β = 0.92, 95% CI 0.64-1.19), compared to normal weight people without MD (reference group). We found that social support at work significantly (p<0.001) modifies the association between job strain, MD and obesity. Obese people with MD had the highest isolated strain (β = 2.92, 95% CI 2.52-3.31), and the highest collective strain, although of smaller magnitude (β = 0.34, 95% CI 0.05-0.63), compared to the reference group.

CONCLUSIONS

Obese people with MD perceive higher job strain than non-disabled people of normal weight. Strategies aiming to increase the social support at work may be important for this group of people to prevent them from experiencing unhealthy job strain.

Mobility disability and the pattern of accelerometer-derived sedentary and physical activity behaviors in people with multiple sclerosis

Objective

Low physical activity and high sedentary behavior levels are major concerns in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) and these differ depending on the level of mobility disability. However, the manner in which daily activity is accumulated is currently unknown in this population.

Methods

A secondary analysis was performed on a combined data set of persons with MS from two previous investigations of physical activity and symptomatic or quality of life outcomes in the United States over a two year period (2007–2009). Mobility disability status was determined using the Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) while activity behavior was objectively monitored using an ActiGraph accelerometer for 7 days.

Results

Persons with MS who have mobility disability were involved in sedentary behavior, light and moderate intensity activity for 65%, 34% and 1% of the day, respectively compared to 60%, 37%, and 3%, respectively in those without mobility disability (p < 0.05). Breaks in sedentary time did not differ by mobility disability status. Compared to those without mobility disability, the average number of sedentary bouts longer than 30 min was greater in those with mobility disability (p = 0.016).

Conclusion

Persons with MS with mobility disability are less active, engage in more sedentary behavior and accumulate prolonged sedentary bouts.

•

MS patients with mobility disability had more daily sedentary time (65% vs. 60%).

•

MS patients with mobility disability had less time in light activity (34% vs. 37%).

•

MS patients with mobility disability had less time in MVPA (1% vs. 3%).

•

MS patients with mobility disability engage more in prolonged sedentary bouts (5.1 vs. 4.3).

The MAT-sf: identifying risk for major mobility disability

BACKGROUND

The assessment of mobility is essential to both aging research and clinical geriatric practice. A newly developed self-report measure of mobility, the mobility assessment tool-short form (MAT-sf), uses video animations as an innovative method to improve measurement accuracy/precision. The primary aim of the current study was to evaluate whether MAT-sf scores can be used to identify risk for major mobility disability (MMD).

METHODS

This article is based on data collected from the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders study and involved 1,574 older adults between the ages of 70-89. The MAT-sf was administered at baseline; MMD, operationalized as failure to complete the 400-m walk ≤ 15 minutes, was evaluated at 6-month intervals across a period of 42 months. The outcome of interest was the first occurrence of MMD or incident MMD.

RESULTS

After controlling for age, sex, clinic site, and treatment arm, baseline MAT-sf scores were found to be effective in identifying risk for MMD (p < .0001). Partitioning the MAT-sf into four groups revealed that persons with scores <40, 40-49, 50-59, and 60+ had failure rates across 42 months of follow-up of 66%, 52%, 35%, and 22%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The MAT-sf is a quick and efficient way of identifying older adults at risk for MMD. It could be used to clinically identify older adults that are in need of intervention for MMD and provides a simple means for monitoring the status of patients' mobility, an important dimension of functional health.

The role of the built environment and assistive devices for outdoor mobility in later life

OBJECTIVE

Despite theoretical advances in our conceptualization of disability, the "environment" remains a largely unspecified term in disablement models. The purpose of this research is to draw upon on a unique state-of-the-art nationally representative data set with innovative measures that provide the opportunity to tease apart and specify the role of different environmental factors in the disablement process.

METHOD

Using multinomial logistic regression with data from the first round of the recently launched National Health and Aging Trends Study (N = 6,578 community-dwelling Americans age 65+), this paper examines the role of the built environment (e.g., stairs or ramps leading up to the home) and mobility devices on reported difficulty going outside by oneself.

RESULTS

Almost three quarters of community-dwelling older Americans live in a residence that has stairs at the entrance. Older adults who use a walker to help them get around are adversely affected by stairs at the entrance to their home, effectively doubling the odds of reporting difficulty going outside independently. Roughly 10% of community-dwelling older Americans live in a residence with a ramp at the entryway, which reduces the odds of outdoor mobility difficulty threefold among those using wheeled mobility devices. However, ramps at the entryway are associated with a higher likelihood of reporting difficulty going outdoors among those who do not use any type of mobility device.

DISCUSSION

A better understanding of the complexities of the environment in the disablement process is critical for the planning and development of age-friendly environments allowing older adults to age in place.

Gender differences in cognitive impairment and mobility disability in old age: a cross-sectional study in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

This study aims to examine differences in cognitive impairment and mobility disability between older men and women in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and to assess the extent to which these differences could be attributable to gender inequalities in life course social and health conditions. Data were collected on 981 men and women aged 50 and older in a 2010 cross-sectional health survey conducted in the Ouagadougou Health and Demographic Surveillance System. Cognitive impairment was assessed using the Leganés cognitive test. Mobility disability was self-reported as having any difficulty walking 400 m without assistance. We used logistic regression to assess gender differences in cognitive impairment and mobility disability. Prevalence of cognitive impairment was 27.6% in women and 7.7% in men, and mobility disability was present in 51.7% of women and 26.5% of men. The women to men odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for cognitive impairment and mobility disability was 3.52 (1.98-6.28) and 3.79 (2.47-5.85), respectively, after adjusting for the observed life course social and health conditions. The female excess was only partially explained by gender inequalities in nutritional status, marital status and, to a lesser extent, education. Among men and women, age, childhood hunger, lack of education, absence of a partner and being underweight were independent risk factors for cognitive impairment, while age, childhood poor health, food insecurity and being overweight were risk factors for mobility disability. Enhancing nutritional status and education opportunities throughout life span could prevent cognitive impairment and mobility disability and partly reduce the female excess in these disabilities.