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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
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.
Description
Keywords
Aging Quality of life Physical activity Gait speed Body balance Falls Vulnerability . Faculdade de Ciências Sociais Faculdade de Ciências Exatas e da Engenharia
Citation
Nascimento, M.d.M.; Gouveia, É.R.; Gouveia, B.R.; Marques, A.; França, C.; Freitas, D.L.; Campos, P.; Ihle, A. 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. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 14135. https://doi.org/10.3390/ ijerph192114135
Publisher
MDPI