Changes in Self-estimated Step-Over Ability Among Older Adults: A 3-Year Follow-up Study. (6th December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sakurai, Ryota; Fujiwara, Yoshinori; Suzuki, Hiroyuki; Ogawa, Susumu; Higuchi, Takahiro; Imanaka, Kuniyasu
• Editors: Taler, Vanessa
• Is Part Of: Journals of gerontology. Volume 76:Number 10(2021)
• Page Start: 2003
• Page End: 2012
• Publication Date: 2020-12-06
• Subjects: Aging -- Inactive lifestyle -- Judgment -- Self-assessment -- Step over; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Periodicals; Aged -- Periodicals; Aging -- Periodicals; Psychology, Social -- Periodicals; 305.26
• DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa219
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1079-5014

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: There is a growing body of literature examining age-related overestimation of one's own physical ability, which is a potential risk of falls in older adults, but it is unclear what leads them to overestimate. This study aimed to examine 3-year longitudinal changes in self-estimated step-over ability, along with one key risk factor: low frequency of going outdoors (FG), which is a measure of poor daily physical activity. Method: This cohort study included 116 community-dwelling older adults who participated in baseline and 3-year follow-up assessments. The step-over test was used to measure both the self-estimated step-over bar height (EH) and the actual bar height (AH). Low FG was defined as going outdoors either every few days or less at baseline. Results: The number of participants who overestimated their step-over ability (EH > AH) significantly increased from 10.3% to 22.4% over the study period. AH was significantly lower at follow-up than at baseline in both participants with low and high FGs. Conversely, among participants with low FG, EH was significantly higher at follow-up than at baseline, resulting in increased self-estimation error toward overestimation. Regression model showed that low FG was independently associated with increased error in estimation (i.e., tendency to overestimate) at follow-up. Discussion: The present study indicated that self-overestimated physical ability in older adults is not only due to decreased physical ability but also due to increased self-estimation of one's ability as a function of low FG. Active lifestyle may be critical for maintaining accurate estimations of one's own physical ability.