title: Changes in life-space mobility and quality of life among community-dwelling older people: a 2-year follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Life-space mobility refers to the spatial area in which a person moves in daily life, taking into account distance, frequency and assistance needed. The aim was to examine how changes in life-space mobility are associated with changes in quality of life (QOL) over a 2-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-dwelling people aged 75-90 years (n = 848) were interviewed face-to-face in their homes and followed up annually for 2 years. QOL was assessed with the short version of the World Health Organization QOL assessment (range 0-130, higher scores indicate better QOL). Life-space mobility was assessed with the Life-Space Assessment (range 0-120, higher scores indicate better life-space mobility). Lower extremity performance was objectively measured with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Cognitive impairment was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination. Chronic conditions and years of education were self-reported. Data were analyzed with generalized estimation equation models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean life-space score at baseline was 63.9 ± SD 20.6 and mean QOL score 100.3 ± 11.8. Over the follow-up, the QOL score decreased to 95.0 ± 13.8 across the total study sample. The decrease in QOL score was somewhat higher among those whose life-space mobility score declined > 10 points during the follow-up compared to those whose life-space remained stable or improved, even after adjustment for age, gender, number of chronic conditions, cognitive impairment, SPPB and education.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Decline in life-space mobility is associated with decline in QOL. The results highlight the importance of ensuring continuous possibilities for out-of-home mobility in maintaining QOL among older people.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Gerontology Research Center, University of Jyvaskyla, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland. merja.rantakokko@jyu.fi.
authors.forename: Merja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rantakokko
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Gerontology Research Center, University of Jyvaskyla, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Erja
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Portegijs
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Gerontology Research Center, University of Jyvaskyla, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Viljanen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Box 117, 22100, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwarsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Gerontology Research Center, University of Jyvaskyla, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kauppinen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Gerontology Research Center, University of Jyvaskyla, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Taina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rantanen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D057566:Self Report
keywords: Aging; Life-space; Outdoor activity; Participation; Well-being