Sociodemographic factors in older adults’ gait speed decline: a gender disaggregate growth curve analysis of the Ibadan Longitudinal Study of Ageing
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Date
2025
Authors
Onyeso, Ogochukwu K.
Alumona, Chiedozie J.
Ojagbemi, Akin
Onyeso, Kelechi M.
Odole, Adesola C.
Victor, Janice
Doan, Jon
Bello, Toyin
Gureje, Oye
Awosoga, Olu
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sage
Abstract
Background
Gait speed is an important predictor of older adults’ well-being. We estimated the influence of sociodemographic factors on the gait speed decline of community-dwelling older Nigerians.
Methods
Using the Ibadan Study of Ageing (2007, 2008, and 2009 cycles), we completed a gender disaggregate analysis of sociodemographic influences on participants’ gait speed trajectory using mixed-design ANOVA and growth curve analysis.
Results
At baseline, 53.2% of participants were female, 61.9% were married, with an average age of 75.5 ± 6.8 years and gait speed of 0.96 ± 0.32 m/s. Gender-specific models showed slower gait speed decline in men (β = −0.05, p < .001) compared to women (β = −0.09, p < .001). Widowhood (β = −0.07, p = .001) for women, high socioeconomic status (β = −0.01, p = .009) for men, and chronic disease burden for women (β = −0.02, p = .010) and men (β = −0.03, p = .008) were significant predictors of gait speed decline.
Conclusion
Addressing culture-related widowhood and women’s vulnerabilities, improving health coverage, and promoting lifestyle modifications may mitigate mobility decline among older Nigerians.
Description
Open access article. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC 4.0) applies
Keywords
Chronic disease , Mobility , Nigeria , Social determinants of health , Socioeconomic , Older adults , Gait speed , Mobility decline
Citation
Onyeso, O. K., Alumona, C. J., Ojagbemi, A., Onyeso, K. M., Odole, A. C., Victor, J., Doan, J., Bello, T., Gureje, O., & Awosoga, O. A. (2025). ociodemographic factors in older adults’ gait speed decline: A gender disaggregate growth curve analysis of the Ibadan Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Journal of Aging and Health, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/08982643251329431