Joint Association of Neighborhood Environment and Fear of Falling on Physical Activity Among Frail Older Adults
in Journal of Aging and Physical ActivityClick name to view affiliation
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This study examined associations between perceived neighborhood environment and physical activity among frail older adults and whether these associations are moderated by fear of falling. Participants were 238 frail older adults. Daily step counts and duration of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were measured using an accelerometer. Participants completed the abbreviated Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale; fear of falling and demographic and health-related factors were measured by a questionnaire. The interaction between crime safety and fear of falling was significantly associated with step count (p = .009) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (p = .018) in multiple regression analysis. Stratified according to fear of falling, crime safety was significantly associated with steps (p = .007) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (p = .030) in the low fear of falling group. The results suggest that crime safety is associated with physical activity among frail older adults, and this association is moderated by fear of falling.
Harada is with the Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan. Park is with the Department of Health Care and Science, Dong-A University, Busan, South Korea. Lee and Shimada are with the Department of Preventive Gerontology, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan. Yoshida is with the Faculty of Rehabilitation, Kyushu Nutrition Welfare University, Kitakyushu, Japan. Anan is with the Faculty of Wellness Studies, Kwassui Women’s University, Nagasaki, Japan. Suzuki is with the Institute for Gerontology, J.F. Oberlin University, Machida, Japan.
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