BRIEF METHODOLOGICAL REPORTS: Using Step Activity Monitoring to Characterize Ambulatory Activity in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

To explore the potential of using step activity monitoring to detect differences in ambulatory activity associated with advancing age and declining function in community-dwelling seniors. Cross-sectional pilot study. General communities of Seattle, Washington; Catonsville, Maryland; and Durham, Nort...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) 2007-01, Vol.55 (1), p.120
Main Authors: James T. Cavanaugh, PT, PhD, Kim L. Coleman, MS, Jean M. Gaines, PhD, RN, Laing, Linda, Morey, Miriam C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age
Aging
Anatomy & physiology
Geriatrics
Older people
Walking
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Summary:To explore the potential of using step activity monitoring to detect differences in ambulatory activity associated with advancing age and declining function in community-dwelling seniors. Cross-sectional pilot study. General communities of Seattle, Washington; Catonsville, Maryland; and Durham, North Carolina. Thirty healthy younger adults, 28 healthy older adults, and 12 older adults reporting functional limitations. Ambulatory activity data were collected over 6 days with the StepWatch 3. Average daily values were calculated for number of steps, number of minutes of activity, number of activity bouts, variability of minute-to-minute activity, and randomness of minute-to-minute activity fluctuations. Healthy older adults engaged in fewer bouts of activity (P = .03) and displayed less-variable activity (P = .02) than younger adults. Older adults reporting functional limitations not only engaged in fewer bouts of activity (P = .009) and less variable activity (P
ISSN:0002-8614
1532-5415
DOI:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2006.00997.x