Factors associated with slow walking speed in older adults of a district in Lima, Peru

Abstract

Objectives. To determine the factors associated with slow walking speed in older adults living in a district of Lima, Peru. Materials and methods. Analysis of secondary data. Adults older than 60 years were included in the study, while adults with physical conditions who did not allow the evaluation of the walking speed were excluded. The dependent variable was slow walking speed (less than 1 m/s), and the independent variables were sociodemographic, clinical, and geriatric data. Raw and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results. The study sample included 416 older adults aged 60 to 99 years, and 41% of the participants met the slow walking speed criterion. The factors associated with slow walking speed in this sample were female gender (PR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.13–1.88), age > 70 years (PR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.30– 2.30), lower level of education (PR, 2.07, 95% CI, 1.20–3.55), social-familial problems (PR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.08–2.54), diabetes mellitus (PR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.01–1.80), and depression (PR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.02–1.95). Conclusions. The modifiable factors associated with slow walking speed in older adults included clinical and social-familial problems, and these factors are susceptible to interventions from the early stages of life.