Neighborhood environment, social participation, and physical activity in older adults with lower limb osteoarthritis: A mediation analysis

Herbolsheimer, Florian, Ungar, Nadine, Portegijs, Erja, Dallmeier, Dhayana, Schaap, Laura A., Smith, Toby, Stubbs, Brendon, Deeg, Dorly J.H., Peter, Richard, Castell, Maria Victoria, Otero, Ángel, Edwards, Mark, Siviero, Paola, Limongi, Federica, Dennison, Elaine, van Schoor, Natasja M, Veronese, Nicola, Timmermans, Erik J. and van der Pas, Suzan (2021) Neighborhood environment, social participation, and physical activity in older adults with lower limb osteoarthritis: A mediation analysis. Health and Place, 68, [102513]. (doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2021.102513).

Abstract

Older adults with lower limb osteoarthritis (LLOA) are highly dependent on their physical and social environment for being physically active. Longitudinal data from 2286 older adults (M _age = 73.8 years; 50.3% female) in six European countries were analyzed using cross-lagged Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and multi-group SEM. In cross-sectional analyses, neighborhood resources were associated with physical activity (r = 0.26;p <.001) and social participation (r = 0.13;p =.003). Physical activity at follow-up was associated with neighborhood resources, with this relationship mediated by social participation in people with LLOA (β = 0.018;p =.013). To promote future physical activity, opportunities to socially engage in neighborhoods need to be targeted primarily to people with LLOA.

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Contributors

Author: Elaine Dennison

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