title: [Objective assessment of walking in housebound elderly who are able to go out alone].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to objectively assess the risk parameters associated with walking in housebound elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were 622 community-dwelling elderly (210 men and 375 women: age 65-85) with independence in activities of daily living (ADL). We administered questionnaires pertaining to housebound factors and measured walking parameters, twice, in May 2008 and May 2009. Housebound status was defined as leaving the house no more than once a week, and non-housebound status as more than once every 2-3 days. We measured the following walking parameters: usual and maximum walking speed, timed up and go, obstacle-negotiating gait, stair-climbing, and number of daily steps.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of housebound status was 10.0% in men and 8.5% in women. No statistically significant differences were seen in the prevalence of housebound status between genders or age groups. In men, maximum walking speed, timed up and go, and daily steps were slower or less in housebound than in non-housebound subjects. In women, all walking parameters, except usual walking speed, were slower or less in housebound than in non-housebound subjects. Logistic regression analysis showed that obstacle-negotiating gait was a risk factor for men (odds ratio 2.49), and for women, all walking parameters, except walking at usual speed, were risk factors, with the highest odds ratio of 4.77 for obstacle-negotiating gait. A slower obstacle-negotiating gait was a risk factor for housebound status for both men and women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with non-housebound subjects, housebound elderly with the ability to go out alone had a similar usual walking speed but a slower obstacle-negotiating gait.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene & Public Health, Osaka Medical College.
authors.forename: Misuzu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Yoshimi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanimoto
authors.forename: Rei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kono
authors.forename: Chika
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hirota
authors.forename: Kyousuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takasaki
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugiura
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kono
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D018577:Homebound Persons; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*