title: Do older adults' beliefs about their community mobility predict walking performance?
abstract: Among older adults, preserving community mobility (CM) is important for maintaining independent living. We explored whether perceptions of the environment and self-efficacy for CM (SE-CM) would predict walking performance for tasks reflecting CM. We hypothesized that perceptions of the environment and SE-CM would be additive predictors of walking performance on tasks reflecting the complexity of CM. Independent living older adults (N = 60) aged 64-85 completed six complex walking tasks (CWTs), SE-CM, and the environmental analysis of mobility questionnaire (EAMQ). Multiple regression analyses indicated that for each CWT, the EAMQ scales predicted walking performance (range: model R2Adj. = .078 to .139, p < .04). However, when SE-CM was added to the models, it was the sole significant predictor (p < .05). Contrary to our hypotheses, SE-CM was the best predictor in the additive models. SE-CM may be more correspondent to walking tests and thus a more sensitive predictor of CM walking performance.
authors.affiliation: University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatoon, Canada.
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Sessford
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Lawrence R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Brawley
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Forbes
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012649:Self Concept; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*