title: Walk the Talk: Characterizing Mobility in Older Adults Living on Low Income.
abstract: We provide an in-depth description of the mobility (capacity and enacted function, i.e., physical activity and travel behaviour) of community-dwelling older adults of low socioeconomic status. Participants [n = 161, mean age (range) = 74 (65-96) years] completed interviewer-administered questionnaires and objective measures of mobility. Our findings did not generally indicate that older adults of low socioeconomic status have a reduced capacity to be mobile. Participants presented with positive profiles across physical, psychosocial, and social environment domains that influence the capacity to be mobile. They also made a high proportion of trips by foot, although these did not together serve to meet physical activity guidelines for most. We challenge future researchers to focus on innovative strategies to recruit this difficult-to-access population, to consider the influence of socioeconomic status across the lifespan, and the role of behaviour-driven agency when investigating the association between the person, environment, and older adult mobility.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Hip Health and Mobility and Department of Medicine,University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8476-2093
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Chudyk
authors.affiliation: Centre for Hip Health and Mobility and Department of Family Practice,University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Joanie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sims-Gould
authors.affiliation: Centre for Hip Health and Mobility and Department of Family Practice,University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Maureen C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ashe
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences,Simon Fraser University.
authors.forename: Meghan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Winters
authors.affiliation: Centre for Hip Health and Mobility and Department of Family Practice,University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Heather A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: McKay
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001955:British Columbia; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D000073656:Healthy Aging / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057566:Self Report; D016138:Walking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: activité physique; aging; built environment; environnement bâti; marcher (se promener); mobility; mobilité; physical activity; socioeconomic status; statut socio-économique; vieillissement; walking