Geriatrics (Sep 2023)

Prevalence and Trends of Slow Gait Speed in the United States

  • Emily Stover,
  • Sarah Andrew,
  • Joshua Batesole,
  • Maren Berntson,
  • Chloe Carling,
  • Samantha FitzSimmons,
  • Tyler Hoang,
  • Joseph Nauer,
  • Ryan McGrath

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics8050095
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 5
p. 95

Abstract

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Gait speed is a simple, effective indicator of age-related disease and disability. We sought to examine the prevalence and trends of slow gait speed in older Americans. Our unweighted analytic sample included 12,427 adults aged ≥ 65 years from the 2006–2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. Gait speed was measured in participant residences. Persons with gait speed p = 0.06). The estimated prevalence of slowness with the p = 0.61). Our findings showed that the estimated prevalence of slow gait speed in older Americans is pronounced, and different cut-points largely inform how slowness is categorized. Continued surveillance of slowness over time will help guide screening for disablement and identify sub-populations at greatest risk for targeted interventions.

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