Demographic, Environmental and Clinical Factors Associated with Life-Space Mobility Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Cardiovascular Disease: Findings from the International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS)

Abstract

Background Restricted life space mobility (LSM) can exacerbate disease burden, reduce autonomy, and diminish quality of life (QOL). Evidence on the demographic, environmental, and clinical factors associated with LSM in this population remains limited. This study aimed to identify demographic, environmental, and clinical factors associated with LSM in older adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to compare the clinical and functional characteristics of individuals with restricted versus unrestricted LSM. Methods Data from 429 participants across five international sites in the International Mobility in Aging Study were included in the analysis. LSM was assessed using the Life-Space Assessment (LSA). Multivariable linear regression was used to identify independent predictors of LSM. Clinical and functional differences between restricted and unrestricted groups were examined using chi-square and t-tests. Results The mean age of participants was 69.5 ± 2.8 years, and 35% exhibited restricted LSM. Demographic factors, including study site, age, sex, and educational level, were significantly associated with LSM (p = 0.000002, 0.001, 0.005, 0.001, respectively). Clinical factors independently associated with LSM included lower QOL, depressive symptoms, visual impairment, and reduced physical performance (p=0.004,0.0001, 0.003, 0.000004, respectively). Group comparisons showed significant differences in study site, sex, education, type of work, income sufficiency, and most clinical variables between individuals with restricted and unrestricted mobility. Conclusion LSM was associated with several demographic and clinical factors. These findings highlight the multidimensional nature of LSM and suggest that it may be a useful measure for identifying older adults with CVD at risk of mobility restriction.