Online Program

291322
Race differences: Identification of community dwelling women at risk for poor health outcomes using walking speed- The osteoarthritis-initiative (OAI) study


Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 2:42 p.m. - 2:54 p.m.

Carmen Kirkness, PT, PhD, Center for Outcomes Research, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Peoria, IL
Jinma Ren, PhD, Center for Outcomes Research, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Peoria, IL
Background: Onset of disability, risk of future falls, frailty, functional decline, and mortality are strongly associated with a walking speed(WS) <1.0m/s. The purpose of this study was to determine if those at risk of poor health outcomes(WS <1.0m/s) differed between community-dwelling African-American(AA) and White American (WA) adult women with OA symptoms. Methods: Participants were 2648 women (23% AA) age 45-79 years with baseline WS (Self-selected 20m) in the OAI study. Logistic regression models examined racial differences in WS (<1.0m/s vs. ≥1.0m/s) adjusting for age, gender, education, body mass index (BMI) income, health coverage, work status, OA progression and comorbidities. Results: WS was significantly (p<0.001) slower for AA than WA women (mean WS 1.19 vs 1.33 m/s). Compared to WA, AA women were 4 times (OR=3.6, 95%CI: 2.5- 5.3) more likely to have WS <1.0m/s. Women aged 70-79 years were significantly more likely to have poor health outcomes(p<0.001). Women with higher OA progression (OR: 2.0, CI:1.4-2.9), and obesity(OR: 2.5, CI:1.2- 3.4) were more likely (p<0.001) to have WS <1.0m/s compared to those with incident OA and BMI ≤30kg/m2. Those with cancer, heart failure, and hypertension, were more likely (p<0.001) to have WS <1.0m/s compared to those without these comorbidities. These differences persisted when controlling for health coverage, work status and low income. Conclusions: In this study, race is an independent predictor of poor health (WS <1.0m/s) among community dwelling women. WS may be a useful tool to use in the community setting to identify those at high risk of poor health.

Learning Areas:

Epidemiology

Learning Objectives:
Identify community dwelling women at risk for the onset of disability, risk of future falls, frailty, functional decline, and mortality.

Keyword(s): Women's Health, Risk Factors

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I specialize in assessing the patient reported outcomes in the treatment of health conditions in multidisciplinary clinical settings. I have been the primary or co-investigator on projects focused on physical function and health outcomes.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.