The Dynamic Nature of Mobility Disability in Older Persons

摘要: OBJECTIVES: To determine the rates of clinically meaningful transitions in mobility disability; evaluate how these differ according to age, sex, and physical frailty; depict duration resulting episodes disability. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: General community greater New Haven, Connecticut, from March 1998 October 2004. PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred fifty-four community-living older persons, aged 70 older, who were nondisabled (i.e., required no personal assistance) four activities daily living. MEASUREMENTS: Mobility disability, defined as inability walk one quarter a mile climb flight stairs, respectively without assistance, was assessed every month for up 5 years. RESULTS: For both tasks, per 1,000 person-months higher disability intermittent (34.7 walking 17.4 climbing stairs), continuous (52.0 42.5), (35.4 31.5), (68.6 85.4) than other transitions. Older female frailty associated with likelihood transition states lower regaining independent mobility. CONCLUSION: persons is highly dynamic process, characterized by frequent between independence disability. Programs designed enhance should focus not only on prevention but also restoration maintenance become disabled.