To examine the associations of a combination of urinary incontinence (UI) and life-space activity/mobility with the risk of incident disability among community-dwelling older adults.
The participants were 12,808 older adults for the cross-sectional study and 12,516 older adults who completed the follow-up assessment.
UI was assessed using a questionnaire. Life-space activity/mobility was evaluated using total, physical, and social scores on the Active Mobility Index (AMI). Participants were classified into four groups (high AMI total score + no UI; high AMI total score + UI; low AMI total score + no UI; low AMI total score + UI). Incident disability was extracted from the Japanese Long-Term Care System.
During the 24-month follow-up, 562 participants (4.5 %) developed disability. Those with a low AMI score + no UI (hazard ratio, 1.35; 95 % confidence interval, 1.07-1.71) and those with a low AMI score + UI (hazard ratio, 2.00; 95 % confidence interval, 1.56-2.56) had a higher risk of incident disability than those with a high AMI score + no UI in the follow-up analysis.
A combination of UI and low AMI score was associated with an increased risk of incident disability, whereas having UI but a high AMI score was not associated with an increased risk of incident disability. Our findings may help identify older adults at high risk of developing disabilities.
Maturitas. 2023 Oct 31 [Epub ahead of print]
Kazuhei Nishimoto, Kota Tsutsumimoto, Takehiko Doi, Satoshi Kurita, Yuto Kiuchi, Hiroyuki Shimada
Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, Research Institute, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan; Medical Science Division, Department of Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Science and Technology, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Japan. Electronic address: ., Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, Research Institute, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan., Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, Research Institute, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan; Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.