Socio-economic disadvantage from childhood to adulthood and locomotor function in old age: a lifecourse analysis of the Boyd Orr and Caerphilly prospective studies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Socio-economic influences over a lifetime impact on health and may contribute to poor physical functioning in old age.

Methods

The authors examined the impact of both childhood and adulthood socio-economic factors on locomotor function at 63-86 years (measured with the get up and go timed walk and flamingo balance test) in the UK-based Boyd Orr (n=405) and Caerphilly (n=1196) prospective cohorts.

Results

There was a marked reduction in walking speed and balance time with increasing age. Each year of age was associated with a 1.7% slower walk time and a 14% increased odds of poor balance. Participants who moved from a low socio-economic position in childhood to a high socio-economic position in adulthood had 3% slower walking times (95% CI -2% to 8%) than pe

SUBMITTER: Birnie K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3381706 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature