Assistive devices in context: Cross-sectional association between challenges in the home environment and use of assistive devices for mobility

Abstract

Purpose: A primary goal for aging policy is to optimize independence in later life. We estimate the cross-sectional association between physical and social challenge in the home environment and use of assistive devices (AD) for mobility in the home, controlling for lower extremity physical performance (short physical performance battery [SPPB]) and other factors. Design and Methods: Data are from the Women's Health and Aging Study I, a prospective study of the factors related to physical disability in a sample of moderately to severely disabled older women. We describe these associations in the baseline sample overall and also within subsets who do and do not have both a baseline and a 3-year follow-up observation. Results: On average, physical challenge in the home environment is inversely associated with level of AD use (p