Table 1 Characteristics of the study subjects
Characteristics | Cross-sectional study (n = 116) | Follow-up study (n = 44) |
|---|---|---|
Sex | ||
Male/female | 26/90 | 12/32 |
Age, years, mean (SD) | 70.8 (4.4) | 71.0 (4.5) |
Living alone | 10 (8.6) | 4 (9.0) |
Past history of illness | ||
Stroke patients | 2 (1.7) | 0 |
Heart disease | 13 (11.2) | 8 (18.2) |
Hypertension | 35 (11.2) | 17 (38.6) |
Diabetes | 7 (6.0) | 4 (9.1) |
Other diseases | 20 (17.2) | 6 (13.5) |
Daily living performance score, mean (SD) | 43.3 (4.0) | 43.5 (4.3) |
SF-36 subscale score, mean (SD) | ||
Physical functioning | 79.0 (20.4) | |
Role-physical | 69.8 (39.2) | 75.9 (35.4) |
Bodily pain | 66.7 (23.0) | 71.8 (22.0) |
General health perceptions | 61.4 (18.0) | 61.6 (17.1) |
Vitality | 70.4 (18.1) | 69.0 (16.8) |
Social functioning | 89.3 (16.0) | 91.2 (15.9) |
Role-emotional | 75.3 (39.6) | 78.8 (39.4) |
Mental health | 75.1 (17.7) | 72.1 (15.0) |
Events and effects | ||
1 year before the study | ||
A fall | 28 (24.1) | 11 (25.0) |
An injury | 8 (6.9) | 3 (6.8) |
A fracture | 7 (6.0) | 1 (2.3) |
1 month before the study | ||
A stumble or a fall | 36 (31.0) | 10 (22.7) |
Anxiety while walking indoors | 25 (21.6) | 11 (25.0) |
Anxiety while walking outdoors | 45 (38.8) | 17 (38.6) |