Self-reported and physical factors associated with community ambulation in older adults and people with osteoarthritis

The extent to which people are able to participate in their community often depends on their ability to walk outside of their home, in both outdoor (e.g., sidewalk, park) and indoor environments (e.g., shopping mall, community centre, friend’s home). The ability to walk in the community often decreases with increasing age and becomes more difficult when an individual suffers from a chronic condition such as osteoarthritis. Having limited community walking has been associated with reduced mobility, decline in self-care abilities, and social isolation. In this study, data from approximately 30,000 people in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging will be used to identify factors associated with community walking in older adults and those with osteoarthritis. We will use both self-report (questionnaire) data as well as objective (physical test) data in our study. Our findings will help us better understand factors that limit and encourage community walking in Canadian older adults.