Relationship between locomotive syndrome and higher-level competence in community-dwelling Elderly people

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the association between locomotive syndrome and higher-level competence in community-dwelling elderly people. [Participants and Methods] The participants were 338 elderly people (aged 75.9 ± 6.3 years [mean ± standard deviation]). The Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence (JST-IC) consists of four subscales (use of new equipment, information gathering, life management, social participation), and was used to assess the higher-level competence. The subjects were categorized into two groups, locomotive syndrome (n=58) or non-locomotive syndrome (n=280), based on their scores on the 5-item Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS-5). Student’s t-test was used to analyze the statistical differences between the two groups. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between the JST-IC total score, four subscales and locomotive syndrome. [Results] The JST-IC total score and those of all the subscales were significantly lower in the locomotive syndrome group than in the non-locomotive syndrome group. Logistic regression analysis revealed that JST-IC and social participation were factors related to locomotive syndrome among the elderly. [Conclusion] Our results show that locomotive syndrome is associated with higher-level competence in community-dwelling elderly people.