Sociodemographic Predictors of Physical Functioning in the Elderly: A National Health Survey

Abstract

We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of sociodemographic factors with the presence and different degrees of walking difficulties in elderly above 65 years, and to analyze association between evaluated variables and the presence and degree of waking difficulties. In the population based study, 3540 individuals age above 65 years from Serbia were recruited. Further predictors were analyzed: gender, age, level of education, marital status, body mass index (BMI), index of well-being and place of residence. We assessed difficulty in walking half a km on level ground without the use of any aid (Group-1); and difficulty in walking up or down 12 steps (Group-2). Walking difficulties were categorized as no difficulty, some difficulty, a lot of difficulty and cannot do at all. For present difficulty significant predictors were: age (Group-1 (OR-3.022)/Group-2 (OR-3.825)), gender (Group-1 (OR-0.337)/Group-2 (OR-0.311)), educational level (Group-1 (OR-0.689)/Group-2 (OR-0.556)) and place of residence (Group-2 (OR-1.523)) while for non-performing the task, significant predictors were: age (Group-1 (OR-1.998)/Group-2 (OR-2.096)), gender (Group-1 (OR-0.629)/Group-2 (OR-0.495)), BMI (Group-1 (OR-1.219)/Group-2 (OR-1.305)), marital status (Group-1 (OR 0.764)/Group-2 (OR-0.769)), educational level (Group-1 (OR-0.679)/Group-2 (OR-0.719)) and index of well-being (Group-2 (OR-0.764)). Understanding of predictors, and their role on functional decline in elderly is of great importance for the development of specific population-based health programs to prevent further functional loss and preserve achieved functional gains.

Socio-Demographic Determinants and Psychosocial Factors Influencing Mobility Limitations in Aging: Insights from a National Health Survey

“…One often noted factor associated with physical activity in older adults is gender, with studies suggesting that women are less inclined towards physical activity compared to men [4,5,[10][11][12][13][21][22][23][24]. Reduced physical activity in women may increase the risk of various health problems, including the more frequent occurrence of chronic diseases and the risk of falls.…”

“…Functional limitation is conceptually describedas an inhibiting factor in performing various activities in daily life, stemming from health or physical issues [5]. During the aging process, significant changes occur in the musculoskeletal system [4,6].…”

“…Walking is often regarded as a crucial indicator of lower body mobility and functionality. The presence of functional limitations in this context may indicate challenges in daily activities [5]. These difficulties can significantly influence the quality of life for the elderly population, and challenges arising from limitations affect individual social participation and quality of life, placing a strong focus on research efforts in the field of gerontological epidemiology.…”

“…Research indicates a consistent correlation between income and health status during the later stages of life in numerous European countries [10][11][12][13].In studies conducted in the Republic of Serbia, it was found that almost half of the elderly population (44.8%) faces mobility limitations, with 2019 data indicating that every fourth elderly resident (25.8%) reported serious walking difficulties [14,15]. In comparison to all other Central and Eastern European countries, Serbia is considered a nation with the highest percentage of the population not engaging in sufficient physical activity or being completely inactive [5,16]. This data points to a lack of developed awareness and collective interest in engaging in appropriate physical activities among individuals.…”

Examining the links between regular leisure‐time physical activity, sitting time and prefrailty in community‐dwelling older adults

“…Sociodemographic factors (e.g., age or socioeconomic status), physical factors (e.g., body mass index [BMI] or functional status) and chronic diseases can influence the transition to frailty and its subsequent progression (Hajek et al, 2020; Kostadinovic et al, 2018; Li et al, 2020). The prevalence of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, among frail older adults, is higher than among normal and prefrail older adults (Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health, & Welfare, 2016; Ida et al, 2019; Standl et al, 2018; Zhang et al, 2016).…”