The Role of Predictive Anxiety, Depression, Cognitive Function, and Confidence in Balance for Participation, Level of Disability, and Duration of Physical Activity in Community-Dwelling Elderly Individuals

Abstract

Background and Objective: Aging can be described as a gradual decline in physical and mental abilities, accompanied by an increased susceptibility to illnesses and disabilities. This global phenomenon is escalating rapidly. Accurate prediction of future consequences based on identified factors is crucial for clinicians and researchers, particularly in progressive states such as aging. Thus, this study aims to investigate some of the most prevalent psycho-cognitive factors that may influence elderly individuals' participation levels, disability status, and duration of physical activity. Methods and Materials: In this correlational study, 150 subjects (87 males and 63 females) were selected through a simple non-probability sampling method from community-dwelling older adults in Tehran. Social participation, level of disability, and physical activity duration were evaluated using the CCIQ, the MHAQ, and a qualitative questionnaire, respectively. Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15), respectively. Cognitive function and balance were examined with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) scale, respectively. Results: The multiple regression models showed that FAB alone accounted for 13.5-61.9 of the variance in all three outcomes. MoCA, GDS-15 and educational level were the second most significant predictorsof participation disability and physical activity time respectively. Conclusion: These results suggest that treatments that target balance, cognitive, and depression states and improve manual function may be particularly important for improving participation, disability state, and physical activity time in community-dwelling older adults.