@article{ref1,
title="Hilliness and the development of walking difficulties among community-dwelling older people",
journal="Journal of aging and health",
year="2018",
author="Keskinen, Kirsi E. and Rantakokko, Merja and Suomi, Kimmo and Rantanen, Taina and Portegijs, Erja",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="898264318820448-898264318820448",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to study the associations of objectively defined hilliness with the prevalence and incidence of walking difficulties among community-dwelling older adults, and to explore whether behavioral, health, or socioeconomic factors would fully or partially explain these associations. <br><br>METHOD: Baseline interviews ( n = 848, 75-90 years) on difficulties in walking 500 m, frequency of moving through the neighborhood, and perceived hilliness as a barrier to outdoor mobility were conducted. Two-year follow-up interviews ( n = 551) on difficulties in walking 500 m were conducted among participants without baseline walking difficulties. Hilliness objectively defined as the mean slope in 500-m road network. <br><br>RESULTS: Logistic regression showed that hilliness was associated with incident walking difficulties at the 2-year follow-up (odds ratio [OR] = 1.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.09, 2.51]) but not with the prevalence of walking difficulties at baseline. Adding behavioral, health, or socioeconomic factors to the models did not markedly change the results. <br><br>DISCUSSION: Greater hilliness should be considered a risk factor for developing walking difficulties among older adults.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0898-2643",
doi="10.1177/0898264318820448",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0898264318820448"
}