Exploring Mediation Effects of Gait Speed, Body Balance, and Falls in the Relationship between Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life in Vulnerable Older Adults

Marcelo de Maio Nascimento (), Élvio Rúbio Gouveia, Bruna R. Gouveia, Adilson Marques, Cíntia França, Duarte L. Freitas, Pedro Campos and Andreas Ihle
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Marcelo de Maio Nascimento: Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Vale do São Francisco, Petrolina 56304-917, Brazil
Élvio Rúbio Gouveia: Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
Bruna R. Gouveia: LARSYS, Interactive Technologies Institute, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
Adilson Marques: CIPER, Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, 1495-751 Lisbon, Portugal
Cíntia França: Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
Duarte L. Freitas: Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
Pedro Campos: LARSYS, Interactive Technologies Institute, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
Andreas Ihle: Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 21, 1-13

Abstract: The present study aimed to examine whether gait speed (GS), body balance (BB), and falls mediated the relationship between physical activity (PA) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in community-dwelling older adults. This is a cross-sectional study that included 305 men and 314 women (69.5 ± 5.6 years), residing in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal. HRQoL and PA were assessed using the SF-36 and Baecke Questionnaires, respectively. While BB was obtained by the Fullerton Advance Balance (FAB) scale, GS by the 50-foot (15 m) walk test, and the frequency of falls was obtained by self-report. According to the analyses, when GS and BB were placed concomitantly as mediators, the direct effect revealed by the model revealed a non-significant relationship between PA and falls. Thus, in the context of falls, GS and BB partially mediated the association between PA and HRQoL in approximately 29.7%, 56%, and 49.2%, respectively. The total HRQoL model explained a variance of 36.4%. The results can help to understand the role that GS, BB, and falls play in the relationship between PA and HRQoL of the vulnerable older adult population.

Keywords: aging; quality of life; physical activity; gait speed; body balance; falls; vulnerability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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