title: Life space and mental health: a study of older community-dwelling persons in Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The ability of older people to mobilise within and outside their community is dependent on a number of factors. This study explored the relationship between spatial mobility and psychological health among older adults living in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey sample consisted of 260 community-dwelling men and women aged 75-80 years, who returned a postal survey measuring spatial mobility (using the Life Space Questionnaire) and psychological health (using the SF36 Health Related Quality of Life Profile). From the Life Space Questionnaire, participants were given a life-space score and multinomial regression was used to explore the potential effect of mental health on life-space score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study found a significant association between mental health and life space. However, gender, physical functioning, and ability to drive were most strongly associated with the extent of life space and spatial mobility. Compared to men, older women are more likely to experience less spatial mobility and restricted life space, and hence are more vulnerable to social isolation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mental health and life space were associated for the older people in this study. These findings have important implications for health policy and highlight the need to support older persons to maintain independence and social networks, and to successfully age in place within their community. This study also highlights the utility of the Life Space Questionnaire in terms of identifying older persons at risk of poorer mental health.
authors.affiliation: a Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing , Faculty of Health and Medicine , The University of Newcastle , Callaghan , Australia.
authors.forename: Julie E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Byles
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leigh
authors.forename: Kha
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vo
authors.forename: Peta
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Forder
authors.forename: Cassie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Curryer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001315:Australia; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008019:Life Style; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: gender; physical functioning; psychological health; spatial mobility