TY - JOUR
T1 - Associations among Perceived Walkability of Neighborhood Environment, Walking Time, and Functional Mobility by Older Adults: an Exploratory Investigation
AU - Lui, Chester K.L.
AU - Wong, Wai Lung
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2021/7/30
Y1 - 2021/7/30
N2 - This study explored the associations between the perceived walkability of neighborhood environment, walking time, and functional mobility by community-dwelling older adults in Hong Kong SAR, China. Seventy community-dwelling older adults (Mean age = 78.00 ± 7.40 years) participated in this study. Their perceived walkability of neighborhood environment was evaluated by the Chinese abbreviated version of Neighborhood Environment Walkability Survey (NEWS-A) and their walking time within a week was self-reported. The 10-Meter Walk Test and Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA) were used to assess the functional mobility of the participants, regarding their gait speed, balance, and gait performance, respectively. Results suggest that the perceived walkability of neighborhood environment (Aesthetics subscale) positively associated with the gait speed (rs = .35, p = .003), scores of the POMA-Balance (rs = .389, p = .001) and POMA-Gait (rs = .343, p = .004). This exploratory analysis augmented our contemporary understanding that older adults who could walk faster and with better balance and gait performance are associated with more positive perceived walkability of their neighborhood environment. It provides useful insight that could inform future high-impact investigations.
AB - This study explored the associations between the perceived walkability of neighborhood environment, walking time, and functional mobility by community-dwelling older adults in Hong Kong SAR, China. Seventy community-dwelling older adults (Mean age = 78.00 ± 7.40 years) participated in this study. Their perceived walkability of neighborhood environment was evaluated by the Chinese abbreviated version of Neighborhood Environment Walkability Survey (NEWS-A) and their walking time within a week was self-reported. The 10-Meter Walk Test and Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA) were used to assess the functional mobility of the participants, regarding their gait speed, balance, and gait performance, respectively. Results suggest that the perceived walkability of neighborhood environment (Aesthetics subscale) positively associated with the gait speed (rs = .35, p = .003), scores of the POMA-Balance (rs = .389, p = .001) and POMA-Gait (rs = .343, p = .004). This exploratory analysis augmented our contemporary understanding that older adults who could walk faster and with better balance and gait performance are associated with more positive perceived walkability of their neighborhood environment. It provides useful insight that could inform future high-impact investigations.
KW - Balance
KW - Gait
KW - Neighborhood environment
KW - Older adults
KW - Perceived walkability
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85111536324&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12126-021-09449-3
DO - 10.1007/s12126-021-09449-3
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0163-5158
JO - Ageing International
JF - Ageing International
ER -